


Hyacinth

by RoseEclipse



Series: Casablanca [2]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: Rebellion Era - All Media Types, Star Wars: Rebels
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-05
Updated: 2017-01-05
Packaged: 2018-09-14 21:56:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Underage
Chapters: 5
Words: 55,980
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9204920
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RoseEclipse/pseuds/RoseEclipse
Summary: Sequel to "Casablanca". Ezra recruits for the Rebellion and teams up for an undercover mission.





	1. Chapter 1

Not everyone deemed the Jedi warriors guardians of peace and justice for the galaxy.

To the Sith and Dark Lords, they were rivals. Enemies to be respected in combat until finally vanquished. To the smugglers and pirates, the Jedi were a damn nuisance of self-righteous do-gooders who wouldn't let good honest "entrepreneurs" ship their slaves and spice in peace.

Like other Twi'lek children, the bedtime ritual of Tamar included stories of the Jedi's great powers and heroic accomplishments. But as she grew older, Tamar shrugged off the tales as over-exaggerated myths. She had yet to witness a Jedi perform one great feat before her eyes.

In the meantime, it hardly seemed to affect her life one way or another if there were robbed sages who lived in a temple on Corsucant and spent their days drinking tea, writing poetry, and discussing philosophy.

At least that's what she _thought_ they did. Until the Clone Wars rained fire and chaos upon Ryloth and the Jedi followed with their steadfast troops, driving out the Separatist nuisances for good.

Who knew those hooded sages had spines of steel and the spirits of warriors in their bodies?

It was Jedi Master Mace Windu who impacted them all. Several days after the battle had ended, someone suggested that Tamar present some of her best flowers to the Jedi as a token of gratitude. The garden had nearly been obliterated by Separatist bombs but a few stubborn lotus-blossoms had miraculously survived. It was the least Tamar could do after she had thrown a hysterical fit over the condition of her garden.

She had weeded, watered, and tended to her flowers for months. How _dare_ the Separatists destroy her hard work!

It had sounded like a good idea at the time. But upon seeing the tall man with stern features and a blazing sword of amethyst light by his side, Tamar shirked on the spot.

Seeing the fidgety girl before him, his piercing eyes softened into warmth and openness. The expression of a warrior was replaced by that of a gracious guest. He took the flowers from her and bowed deeply as if she was a queen.

"Thank you for such a beautiful gift," Mace Windu declared. "Your kindness is most appreciated." His deep rich voice seemed to vibrate through Tamar from the tips of her lekku down to her toes. She felt her cheeks flush and quickly studied the floor.

"Is the floor more interesting?" he asked her. She quickly bolted her head back up. There now a twinkle of merriment in his eyes and she couldn't help but let out a laugh. Mace grinned at her, further putting Tamar at ease.

He sat back down upon his mat and offered for Tamar to sit next to him. What followed was only ten minutes of conversation but it would have the greatest impact on Tamar's life. She discovered that this Jedi was no passive philosopher. He could discuss art, science, business, and history as well as any versed traveler in the universe. Tamar eagerly explained her desire to leave Ryloth and pursue her dreams.

"If you are going to sell your flowers to other worlds then it will cost you more credits to transport them further," Mace Windu explained.

Tamar thought this over. "Then I will have to charge more to cover transportation, won't I?" she said slowly.

He nodded in agreement. "You will also have to make a profit it you want to buy more seeds."

"Hmmm." Tamar held her chin in long blue fingers. At this point other Twi'leks would either joke at her seriousness or insist that a girl should focus on more pleasant matters than starting her own company. But Mace Windu was waiting patiently for her response.

"I could set up gardens on each planet that I visit," she suggested slowly. "That way the flowers would stay fresh and I wouldn't have to pay for long distance transportation."

Mace Windu nodded in approval. Next to them, General Syndulla broke out into a hearty laugh. "Forgive her, Master Jedi," he exclaimed. "Young Tamar sees herself as a shrewd businesswoman. She cannot be content to tend to plants unless she is tending credits at well!"

Tamar turned away to hide her frown from the general. It was impolite to show disrespect to their leader. But the Jedi had her full support. "I wish you full success in your endeavors, Tamar," he encouraged her. "An honest living can be hard work compared to the life of a pirate or smuggler. But you will have the satisfaction of knowing that you are doing something right."

"I'm not afraid of hard work," Tamar insisted.

The Jedi gave her wise smile. "I can see that you will not be detoured. The galaxy would be a much different place if there were more people like you."

It was the first and last time that Tamar ever saw the Jedi Master. She never learned of Mace Windu's tragic fate when he was struck down by a once-and-former member of the Jedi; one who was turned and twisted into a slave of the Dark Side.

The Empire followed and Tamar thanked her stars that she was off-world when the stormtroopers landed on Ryloth.

But true to Mace Windu's words, Tamar Ily'an was not detoured. Just as the Rebel Alliance grew in numbers and in strength, she grew in maturity and experience. She bought a club and entertained high-ranking Imperial officers to earn a living. She hired a bodyguard to protect herself and adopted two orphaned Twi'leks who had suffered the wrath of the Empire.

And on a bright clear morning in the heart of the planet Iolanthe, Tamar Ily'an unknowingly purchased a Jedi Padawan; a young man with dark hair, a steadfast gaze, and eyes of a remarkable shade of blue.

Eyes the color of hope.

A-A-A

ONE YEAR LATER:

_Chopper Base, Rebel Alliance Outpost_

Ezra Bridger leaned forward and rested his hands upon his knees. "Haven's Glow?" he repeated aloud.

Commander Sato nodded and pointed again to the holographic image at the center of the room. "Many influential people from the Core System attend this luxurious resort for personal and business use. Their busiest season will begin in two weeks."

Zeb narrowed his eyes warily at the image of Haven's Glow. "So what do a bunch of hobnobs have that we need?" he asked.

"Information, Captain Orrelios." Commander Sato adjusted a button and the image of Haven's Glow vanished, replaced with a scrolling list of names.

"I have been in contact with other members of the Rebel Alliance and we agreed that it would be useful to our cause to accumulate a list of names of Haven's Glow's most anticipated guests. We suspect that there are Rebel sympathizers among them who must hide their true opinions from the public eye."

"Prime Minister Glen, Duchess Keiko, Prince Feldspar of Mira-ben," Sabine read some of the names aloud. "There are some powerful people in their ranks. How can we be sure that they'll be interested in our cause?"

"We don't," Hera announced. The Twi'lek placed her hands upon her hips. "The data that Commander Sato was able to procure is incomplete. We want to insert an agent into the resort so that we can access a complete and reliable guest list."

Commander Sato turned to Ezra. "This is where you come in. We would like you to contact your colleague Tamar Ily'an."

"Tamar?" Ezra jumped to his feet. "Are you crazy?!"

"Why not?" Hera said with a faint smile. "If anyone could run a nightclub in the heart of the Empire, Tamar did. And you said she did a pretty job of it."

"You also mentioned that Miss Ily'an is well-versed in Imperial etiquette," added Sato.

"Hold on, hold on." Zeb waved a furry hand in the air. "This 'Tamar' was entertaining bucketheads for fun, right? Sounds like she's good friends with them. What makes you think she'll want to work for us instead?

"Tamar wasn't doing it for fun," Ezra insisted. "She told me herself that a nightclub was the best way to get customers to come to her since Iolanthe's curfew barred her from going out after dark".

Commander Sato looked impressed. "Resourceful," he commented.

"That still doesn't mean she'll want to cooperate," Ezra admitted. "Tamar doesn't do anything unless the investment is worth her time."

"She will be well compensated if she can provide us with the necessary information."

Ezra rubbed the back of his head in thought. His eyes took in the members of the Ghost crew, his surrogate family and team, and finally rested upon the last member. Kanan Jarrus had been standing against the wall in a silent pose for so long that they could have forgotten he was there. It was not intentional on their behalf. Rather, the Jedi had become adapt at discretion during his years of hiding underground from the Empire.

He may have lost his vision but Kanan Jarrus had gained further knowledge and insight as he continued on his journey alongside his apprentice. He could not only hear their voices but even sense their conflicting emotions, the changing tones in their voices, and the even slightest motion of fingertips.

Now he could sense Ezra's attentions upon himself and he turned to face the young man.

"Kanan, what do you think?" asked Ezra.

His mentor took a moment to consider their options before speaking aloud. "You were the one who worked for Tamar. You know her strengths and weaknesses. It's your judgement that decides how this mission will unfold."

The Ezra Bridger of some time ago would have attempted to find a solution right away. But much had happened and the young man was learning the value of contemplating, of thinking things through carefully, before making a decision; especially if someone else's life was on the line.

Ezra closed his eyes for a moment and then opened them again.

"When Tamar first 'bought' me from the black-market slavers, I hated her. I thought she was bossy and selfish," Ezra admitted. "But the more I got to know her, the more I realized that she paid attention to people that she cared about.

"I was trapped on a core planet without any friends. But Tamar and her team took care of me. They fed me, kept me safe, and when I was sick with a virus, they paid all the medical expenses and nursed me back to health."

A soft emotion echoed in Ezra's mind and for a moment he was back on Iolanthe, lying on his cot and shivering with cold beneath two blankets from the virus. Someone was hovering over him, a friend with skin like a winter sky and a sweet but sad voice, a gentle hand resting upon his head...

"This was the same woman who only let you go after Kanan forfeited his kyber crystal, right?" Sabine pointed out. Having left the life of a bounty hunter behind, the Mandalorian was skeptic of those who sold others out for money.

"She gave it back," Kanan said.

That much was true for Ezra. Tamar could have kept the kyber crystal and sold it for a fortunate after she and her friends were forced to flee from Iolanthe to Kaller. But she returned the crystal back to its rightful master.

This last piece of information was the final weight in the padawan's judgement. Ezra rose to his feet and looked at his team. "I'll get in touch with Tamar right away," he decided aloud.

A-A-A

_Kaller_

"Anybody who's anybody knows Tamar," the freight-man assured Ezra with a grin. "Nobody else charges two credits for a cup of kaff instead of one but oooh, nobody else has a body like—"

"Just tell us were to go," Zeb growled. The imposing figure of the Lassat caused the freight-man to gulp. He shakily pointed a finger towards a heavily populated street.

"The kaff shop on Central Boulevard. Look for an arched doorway," he babbled. "But you might miss it 'cuz Tamar doesn't advertise."

Zeb and Ezra made their way down the street. They nearly missed the entrance, which was carved into the side of a building and led down a slope of steep stone stairs. Ezra almost tripped going down and Zeb nearly banged his head on the low overhead. But once they descended into the sub-level room, it opened up into a surprisingly well-lit room.

The cafe was a far cry from the glittering Imperial nightclub that Ezra had worked at on Iolanthe. This was a single room with well-worn stones forming the ground and walls. The furniture consisted of tables and chairs cobbled together from rough slabs of wood. The ceiling was a domed roof of sandstone. Against one wall was a painted plank of wood with a daily menu scribbled in graphite.

Overhead was a sign in several alien languages including Basic that read _NO FIGHTING, NO GAMBLING, NO TOUCHING._

The simplicity of the atmosphere was offset by the effort put into it. The stone floor had been swept and scrubbed so well that Ezra could have eaten off of it. Several copper lamps hung from the ceiling and two Twi'lek tapestries hung on the walls to add a bit of decor. There were even a few Kalleran potted plants in the corners.

The clientele was also just as different from Iolanthe. Instead of high-ranking Imperial officers, most of the customers drinking kaff and eating pastries were shop-keepers, droid-programmers, and freighter pilots. Some of them looked up at Zeb with curiosity but said nothing. The Lassat found an empty table in a corner and sat down.

"You go find Tamar. I'll keep an eye out if things get messy," he assured Ezra.

"You sure?"

"You know her better than all of us. Worth a shot talkin' to her," Zeb remarked.

Just then, Ezra caught a flash of green skin from across the room and waved towards it. "Nava?" he called out to get her attention. "It's me, Kay! Remember?" He was careful to use his borrowed name from Iolanthe.

The young Twi'lek looked up from pouring a cup of kaff when she heard Ezra's voice. Her golden eyes instantly lit up and she dashed across the room and nearly tackled Ezra in a bear hug.

"KAAAAY!" she shrieked, lifted him several inches off the ground and swinging him back and forth. "Ooo, I missed you so much! Where have you been?" she gushed.

"Can't-breath!" he gasped. Nava finally set him back down and untangled herself from Ezra.

"Oops! Sorry about that." She gave a wispy giggle as she looked Ezra up and down. "Look at you! Look _at_ you!" Nava exclaimed. "You got so much taller! And when did you get a haircut?"

Ezra ran a hand over his scalp. "It was getting too long anyway." He added with a grin, "No way you'll be able to mess with my hair now."

"I can still make you some lovely clothes," Nava insisted. She lightly touched Ezra's shoulder and began to examine him one way and the other. "We just bought some smashing green wool that would make a fine coat for you."

Before Ezra could protest, another Twi'lek had materialized behind them. Nearly six feet tall with large gray eyes, her pale blue skin was the color of Lothal's sky on a clear winter morning. Whereas Nava's presence was bright and glittering like a sunrise, this one had an aura as deep and quiet as a midnight moon.

A warm smile glowed out of her face when she saw Ezra. She didn't approach him first and instead, waiting for him to draw closer and then embraced Ezra in a gentle hug.

"I'm glad to see you again," she finally spoke in her low musical voice.

"Me too, Miri." Ezra broke out of the hug and examined his former colleagues.

Both Twi'leks wore belted white tunics that came down to their knees and black work pants. Their clothes were clean and pressed and with their bright eyes, long slender bodies, and jewel-tinted skins, they were a pretty sight to see.

"Where's Tamar?" Ezra asked. "Don't tell me your boss decided to play hooky today."

"Perish the thought," a crisp clear voice announced. Ezra spun around to see the third and fourth members of the group: Tamar Ily'an, businesswoman and former owner of the Jewel Garden, and her right-hand man Hogarth Lang. Ezra's former employer appeared bohemian and yet professional at the same time.

Tamar was dressed the same as her Twi'lek counterparts and her bright blue skin contrasted beautifully against her blouse and a headscarf of white brocade. The hand that held her data-pad was adorned with two glass bangles while a leather choker encircled her neck. Two small white gems glittered in her right lobe and a silver hoop decorated her left one.

"Really, 'Kay'. I'm insulted that you would even consider me shirking work on our busiest hours." The words were borderline patronizing but her lips twitched with amusement. "Nevertheless, this is an unexpected delight to see you here. Hogarth, think you can brew a fresh pot of kaff for our friend?"

"My pleasure," he grinned. Hogarth shook Ezra's hand and then led him to a quiet nook in the back of the room where the burly bodyguard nodded in pleasant silence to Zeb.

"So, what does 'no touching' mean?" Ezra asked.

Hogarth tapped the side of his nose with a finger. "Wait and find out."

Ezra didn't have long to wait. Miri had brought food and drinks to a table of workers. One of them grinned wickedly at Miri and suddenly reached out a meaty hand, grabbed her by the wrist.

"C'mon, love! Spend a little time with me," he demanded. She shook her head and yanked her hand out of his grasp. The customer just smiled and reaching out again, slapped his palm playfully against her backside.

Ezra sucked in a sharp breath. But Miri just turned around and calmly called out, "Hogarth!"

He nodded. The bodyguard marched over to the table and instantly seized the man by the scruff of his neck. The other hand yanked his belt and Hogarth lifted the man easily into the air before marching to the door and hurling him out as far as he could. The man went flying out of the cafe and landed in a pile of old convertors that rattled and clanked from the impact.

Zeb grinned wickedly. "That looks like a lotta fun."

Tamar clapped her hands together. "I give him a seven out of ten."

"Eight!" a customer shouted.

"Five," exclaimed another.

"Five?" boomed Hogarth. "Must be loosing my touch."

Miri winked at Ezra. "If Hogarth gets a ten out of ten then he takes a shot of Bomar whiskey. So far, it's only happened once."

"You guys must be pretty popular on Kaller, huh?"

"Hogarth's reputation keeps people like that at arm's length. Once they get thrown out, they never come back. But most of our customers are very nice," Miri said. "They brought us furniture and lamps to decorate."

"And honeydrops too!" Nava added brightly. She took a tin out of her pocket and popped one into her mouth.

Tamar rolled her eyes. "I'm annoyed when they bring us useless trinkets that clutter up the place." She picked up a knickknack sitting on a shelf and banged it down twice. "Pyrite-plated tin. Shoddy work."

"This isn't Iolanthe," Ezra grinned. "You're used to getting the best."

"I'm used to _serving_ the best," Tamar demanded. She breathed out and rubbed her right temple with her fingers. "At least the kaff should be better than whatever brown sludge you're used to keeping down." She poured out several hot drinks and handed them to Zeb and Ezra.

The Lassat took a hearty gulp. "Karabast! This is kaff?" Zeb nearly bellowed.

Ezra sipped his cup warily. Instead of a watery acidic drink, he was rewarded with a mouthful of something aromatic and robust without a hint of bitterness. He swallowed and instantly felt a rush of warmth surge through his body. "Wow," was all he could say.

"I'll take that as a positive rating," Tamar concluded.

"We get the kaff beans wholesale and have worked out a way to roast them without ruining the flavor," Nava explained.

Just over her shoulder, Ezra noticed one of the customers get to his feet. He had been sitting at the same table as the man who had gotten thrown out and now stomped over towards them with a glare on his face. He clamped a hand on Tamar's shoulder and spun her around.

"Listen, missy. That was my mate you threw outta here," he growled.

"You're welcome to join him if you like," Tamar replied calmly.

The grasp on Tamar tightened and he rasped, "I'd rather take you on this table right now."

Tamar remained unfazed. "Hogarth?"

Before Hogarth could take a step, Ezra saw the tin statue go whizzing through the air and then hit the man squarely between the eyes. His eyes rolled in the back of his head and then he fell back onto the floor with a loud _THUMP_.

The other customers applauded loudly. Ezra saw Zeb standing behind him with one arm extended outwards from the throw.

"Well, what d'you know?" Zeb smirked. "Shoddy work's good for something after all."

Tamar beamed at the Lassat. "I like your friend, Ezra." To Miri and Nava she added, "Whatever he wants is on the house."

A-A-A

While Miri and Nava cheerily plied Zeb with as much kaff and as many pastries as they could offer, Tamar tuned in to Ezra's proposal in the back room. She listened attentively about the mission without speaking but frowned when he concluded.

"I'm pleased that the Rebellion is coming together but I don't approve of you zipping around the galaxy fighting their battles. A young man like you should be going to school, podracing, spending time with girls..."

 _At least we agree on the latter,_ thought Ezra.

"Its dangerous work and you could be exploited," concluded Tamar.

"You made me work in your nightclub," Ezra pointed out.

"That was an entirely different situation," Tamar insisted. "I found you in a black market ring and thought you had been sold off to pay your family's debts. You could have ended up in an Imperial prison or worse."

"I know," Ezra agreed. "Which is why the Rebellion's recruitment is so important. If we don't take action and stand up against the Empire now then things will continue to go downward."

Again, silence followed Ezra's offer. He could imagine the gears in Tamar's head rotating as she calculated whether or not the recruitment was in her interest.

"I will consider it," she said at last.

Ezra couldn't restrain his small sigh of reluctance. While he was relieved that Tamar hadn't flat out turned him down, he had anticipated her accepting the mission. Seeing her back on her feet and thriving on Kaller confirmed that she could handle the job.

But as Kanan had once told Ezra, she would be ready to join the Rebellion at the right time. And Ezra had no doubt made an impression on her.

"Okay. When you've reached a decision, you know how to get in touch." He handed her a data-chip that Tamar accepted. Instead of putting it away, Ezra watched her study the chip with curiosity and perhaps more than a glimmer of interest.

A-A-A

_Later:_

Hogarth was wiping down the rough wooden counter when the front door closed and footsteps grew louder.

"We're closed," he announced. The footsteps continued in firm steady paces. They belonged to someone accustomed to giving orders.

The stern pale man in an Imperial uniform hardly raised an eyebrow at Hogarth's scarred face. "I assure you that my visit will not be long. Are you the owner of this establishment?" he demanded.

Hogarth hesitated for a moment, debating if he should cover for Tamar. Before he could make a decision she had approached the threshold.

"I am the manager of this café," she announced firmly to the officer.

Tamar anticipated a facial twitch, a look of disbelief in his eyes, or even a lustful smirk. Surprisingly, the officer did none of these. He merely examined the data pad that he was holding.

"You confirm that your name is Tamar Ily'an?" he asked. Tamar nodded and he tucked the data-pad under his arm. "I am Agent Kallus of the Imperial Security Bureau. I have a matter to discuss with you immediately."

With a pleasant smile she gestured to one of the tables. "Have a seat, Agent Kallus. Hogarth, please bring a fresh pot of kaff for our guest."

"That will not be necessary." Agent Kallus smoothly positioned himself at the table. "My visit here is strictly business."

"Come come," Tamar tutted. "To withhold hospitality from a member of the I.S.B. would be inconsiderate of me".

Agent Kallus did not wait for the kaff to appear to speak. "I have called upon you because we have heard rumors of rebel activity near Kaller. I am interested in knowing if you have heard of anything."

Tamar shrugged nonchalantly. "I am merely the humbler owner of this Imperial-operated shop. The thought of rambling around with troublemakers is hardly on my mind."

"Indeed." Agent Kallus took a moment to assess the room. "And yet I cannot help but notice how rare it is to find a woman of your youth and heritage so actively involved in business."

Tamar let out a peal of girlish laughter. "Agent Kallus, you flatter me!" The kaff came and she made a gesture of pouring out a cup for him with as much courage as she could muster. Kallus merely eyed the cup as if it was the very source of his problems.

"Rest assured, Agent Kallus. I never poison my customers." Tamar poured herself a cup and sipped casually.

"More than a year ago, a Twi'lek was charged with treason and arrested on Iolanthe," he went on. "Though the accusations were eventually dropped due to invalid information, I am intrigued to know if Tamar is a common name on Ryloth."

"Common enough. Anything else is mere coincidence."

"But Iolanthe isn't Ryloth. And I am not accustomed to being played for a fool, Miss Ily'an." Kallus' voice deepened and darkened as he added, "Just remember that I have the power to throw you and your colleagues into an Imperial cell if I find you guilty of any crimes."

Tamar decided it was time to drop the playful act and move onto evasive maneuvers. "Are you using your authority to scare me, sir?" she inqured.

"No more than you are using your female attractiveness as a weapon."

She couldn't resist a dry smile. "Then you find me attractive, Agent Kallus."

"Don't flatter yourself. It will take more than charms to throw me off course."

He picked up his cup and took a careful sip. "It seems your reputation precedes you, Miss Ily'an."

Agent Kallus rose from the table and instantly placed a credit piece on the table. "See to it that you remain out of trouble." Without another word, he left the café.

Only when Agent Kallus was several blocks away did Miri come out of the back room. "Are you all right?" she asked Tamar. "Did he hurt you?"

Tamar didn't move from her seat. She just starred at the credit piece as if it were a proton bomb.

Miri approached her and also studied the money. Tamar could recognize the pensive look on her friend's face.

"What kind of trouble do you think he is?" she asked Miri.

"It's hard to tell. But I don't think he can be bribed or flattered. He is genuinely committed to his work." Miri picked up the credit piece and studied it. "That makes him an entirely different type of adversary."

A moment of silence fell between the Twi'leks before Miri spoke again. "It was nice to see Ezra again," she added with a hint of hope in her voice.

"Mmmm." Tamar leaned back and locked her fingers together. She pressed them to her mouth and was in deep thought for several moments.

"He wants me to work for the Rebellion" she said at last.

Miri sat down next to her. "Will you?"

"I can't decide. The mission itself sounds intriguing to me but I don't want anything traced back to you."

The tall blue Twi'lek gave her friend a reassuring smile. "You've taken risks for all of us before and never turned away from an opportunity. If your ambitions are telling you to do this mission then you should follow through."

"Is that what your gift of 'second sight' says?" Tamar asked curiously.

Miri glanced down shyly. "It doesn't work like that," she admitted quietly. "I'm sorry, I can't understand it myself. It just seems to come and go at times."

"No, I'm the one who should apologize. I shouldn't treat you like a soothsayer." Tamar leaned over and put her arms around Miri, who was surprised at the sudden show of affection.

"I've known petty girls who made each other miserable from bickering over who was more beautiful. But you're ten times prettier and nicer than all of them," Tamar said at last.

"Being pretty isn't always a good thing," Miri mumbled.

Something about the way Miri said it motivated Tamar to squeeze her friend tightly in an embrace.

A-A-A

Ezra's holo-image flickered above the table. He looked around curiously before facing Tamar. His blue eyes lit up with delight. "Tamar! You called!

"A member of the ISB recently visited my café: Agent Kallus," she announced. "I take it that you know him well?"

She watched shock and then worry ripple across his face. "Kallus has been on our tail for a long time. What did he want?"

"For me to keep my nose clean."

"Do you think he suspected anything?"

"Yes, but surprisingly he didn't carry out his threats."

Ezra waved his hands in front of himself. "Look, if you don't want to go ahead with the mission—"

"I do," Tamar insisted firmly.

"You do?"

"Ezra Bridger, are you hard of hearing? Did I not just say that I am going ahead with this mission?" Tamar nearly stamped her foot with impatience. "My recent encounter with Agent Kallus was sufficient motivation. Providing of course, that your Rebellion still has a use for me."

"Okay yeah. Sure! Great! But uh, what will you tell the others?"

"Nava is adorable but she'll babble everything to the customers. Hogarth has convinced her that I am taking a brief business trip to expand my venues. Miri is a different story altogether."

"I know she'll keep our secret," Ezra assured her warmly. Tamar was suddenly reminded of what she had said after watching Miri and Ezra's budding friendship. Kindred spirits at the time, she had suggested, but perhaps it was something deeper, something about the gift of second sight?

But the Force was not something that Tamar understood altogether and though her suspicions about Ezra and his master were close to the truth, she preferred not to discuss matters of the mystical realm.

Especially after the legacy of the Jedi had ended.

For now she turned her attention back to the holo-vision. Ezra said he would send her the coordinates for a meeting and make sure that his captain would be there to greet Tamar when she arrived.

A-A-A

Tamar was finally looking forward to her mission. She was _not_ looking forward to seeing Hera Syndulla again.

Their first encounter had been a far from pleasant experience.

She had vague memories from the end of the Clone Wars of a beady-eyed child held in the embrace of her father, General Cham Syndulla. The little Twi'lek couldn't have been older than five or six while Tamar was on the cusp of adolescence at the time. Hera must have considered Tamar's presence an intrusion because she glared at Tamar with as much loathing as if she was a Separatist bomber.

Tamar responded by sticking her tongue out at Hera. The girl instantly launched a counter-attack by gnashing her little pearly teeth at Tamar and then burying her face in her father's arms.

Cham Syndulla had been engrossed in his conversation with Jedi master Mace Windu but broke it off when he sensed his daughter's discomfort. "You must excuse my daughter's behavior," he laughed to Master Windu. "She is restless as the wind!"

Hera smiled smugly at Tamar from the safety of her father's embrace. Never before had Tamar wanted so badly to yank on the little brat's lekku and kick her in the shins.

A-A-A

Now if the rumors were true, Hera Syndulla had blossomed into an excellent pilot and fearless fighter. There was no denying that Tamar was inwardly pleased to hear about the Rebellion's growing progress against the Empire. But she was concerned that Hera could have turned out to be as much of a radical as her father.

 _"No doubt she's used to sacrificing everything for the greater good,"_ Tamar cringed inwardly. _"I doubt Hera will understand the whims of an assimilated Twi'lek who enjoys nice clothes, good food, and soft music."_

The transport finally docked and Tamar walked down the metal tunnel that led her towards Ghost. On the outside she looked composed as a programming droid in her traveling gray suit and new leather travel-case. Inside her emotions were bubbling and festering away as she mentally prepared herself for a verbal sprawl with the infamous Hera Syndulla.

 _"She will be a horrible sharp-tongued vixen,"_ Tamar thought bitterly. _"Captain Syndulla will boast of her accomplishments and then call me a preening self-absorbed-"_

"Tamar Ily'an?"

A clear feminine voice broke Tamar's thoughts. The slim green-skinned Twi'lek standing in front of her was no doubt the adult version of Tamar's memories, now lithe and mature and attired appropriately in an orange flight-suit and goggles. There was confidence in her posture and brightness in her eyes. This was a young lady quite capable of carrying out daring missions.

Tamar drew her shoulders back and her breath in. Before she could speak, Hera folded her arms in front of her chest and sank into a half-curtsy.

"Peace unto you, sister of Ryloth." A slight accent threaded its way into her words as she addressed Tamar with the traditional formal greeting. It had been years since Tamar had heard it but she responded by also folding her arms and bowing to Hera.

"Peace unto you," she repeated. They drew closer and then exchanged air kisses on each other's cheeks. Once the formality had concluded, Hera clasped Tamar's hand into her gloved ones.

"I'm glad I finally got to meet you in person." She squeezed Tamar's hand gently. "Ezra's told us all about you and your team. I want to thank you for looking after him on Iolanthe."

Her voice was warm and genuine and her eyes shined with gratitude, instantly throwing Tamar off guard. She cleared her throat before speaking.

"I'm glad," she managed to say at last. "He certainly was a big help in the club."

"I'm sorry you lost it to the Empire," Hera added apologetically.

"I can always build another one," Tamar responded with confidence. "Ezra is the one who is irreplaceable."

"On that we do agree," Hera smiled. She gestured down the corridor. "May I show you the rest of the ship?"

Tamar nodded and followed, breath finally relaxed and curiosity restored. She knew little about the details of ships but could tell this one had been modified to meet the needs of the crew. Despite the cramped sensation of limited space, the Ghost appeared to be a resourceful and well-run traveler of the stars.

Tamar was intrigued by the bright splash of color on the wall and stopped to admire it.

"Sabine's our interior designer," Hera explained.

"It's an ember-lotus, isn't it?" Tamar asked. "But why is it yellow instead of blue?"

"That's Sabine for you," Hera grinned.

The rest of the tour was pleasant enough and within minutes, Tamar could feel her tension melting away in Hera's presence. She politely inquired about various details of the Ghost and Hera answered with warmth and animation, pleased to see her counterpart's interest in their home and taking pride in sharing with her.

While she could never imagine herself in a flight suit, Tamar was already imagining Hera in a honey-colored dress that Miri had been working on last week. The rich yellow tone would be perfect for Hera's complexion and she had the slender build for the style. Would she prefer silver bangles or a scarf?

"I'll admit I was a little worried before meeting you," Hera suddenly confessed.

Tamar stopped in her tracks. "Why?"

Hera folded her arms over her chest. "You sounded rather intimidating from Ezra's report. I wasn't sure if we'd meet your standards."

Tamar suddenly laughed in disbelief. Imagine General Syndulla's daughter being scared of her!

"Granted, I did come down rather hard on Ezra," she said. "When you're entertaining Imperial officers for a living, you have to work hard and learn fast."

"Not many people I know could do that," Hera responded.

"Maybe it's not so different from running a ship," Tamar suggested.

Hera nodded in agreement. "That's exactly why Commander Sato mentioned your name at our last meeting. Your experience and skills intrigued us all. We'd like to hear what you have to say about the mission."

Within the hour, Tamar was seated at a holo-table alongside Hera and Commander Sato. He gave her a general summary of the mission and then showed her the details of Haven's Glow on a data-pad. Tamar took the opportunity to examine the data-pad and listen to their expectations.

"I hope you are already aware of the cost of this expedition," Tamar warned. "Spending several days in a sterling galactic resort could amount to a great deal of credits that could be used to buy weapons and fuel instead."

 _She's perceptive,_ Hera thought. Aloud she added, "Intel is just as critical as an army. And the information on this mission could be as useful as a fleet of ships."

"You will be reimbursed for necessary expenses," Commander Sato added. "And with your background of Imperial etiquette and service, inserting you into the social circles of Haven's Glow will be possible."

Tamar placed the data-pad on the table and locked her fingers together. "There's just one more problem before we proceed. I may have had some internal freedom operating a club on Iolanthe but in Haven's Glow, it will be highly unlikely that the resort will accept the façade of a Twi'lek staying in the hotel of her own accord."

"I see. What do you suggest?"

"I recommend that you send me in not as an independent but as a servant."

"What?" Hera placed both hands on the table. She was not pleased at the notion that one of her sisters of Ryloth would have to put chains back on herself, even for the sake of pretense. But Commander Sato was frowning and rubbing his chin in thought.

"It is our only alternative," Commander Sato said at last. "We will have to modify a believable cover story for you."

A-A-A

_Two weeks later:_

Among the various guests who were exiting the transporter outside Haven's Glow were two new figures. One was a human teenager with short dark hair who wore the navy-blue suit of a valet. A gold badge gleamed on his collar and his black boots were polished to a dark sheen.

The Twi'lek next to him wore a pale pink dress cinched in at the waist and a full petticoat that billowed out down to her ankles. Instead of a headscarf, a white straw cap was tied onto her head. The white netting was pulled down over her eyes but still gave viewers a good look of bright blue skin.

The droid accepted their identifications cards and scanned them. "Young Master Kay Dunam and Miss Tamar Ily'an of the House of Rayne," he read aloud. "Please proceed".

Ezra and Tamar moved out of the blaring sunshine and into the shade of some wide-leaved trees in the foyer. While they were cooling off, the staff director quickly ran their information through the security system system. Any inkling of false pretense or insufficient data would have them kicked out of the resort with a snap of her fingers.

Fortunately, the response was adequate. Security confirmed that the human boy and the Twi'lek were the property of Lord Joshua Rayne, a private investor in off-world mines and Imperial real estate. Lord Rayne's background was solid and his credit of good status.

 _"We haven't heard of Lord Rayne until now",_ she pondered to herself. " _New money, no doubt. Must have bought up someone's failed businesses and purchased a title in the deal."_

Had the director been a keeper of the Force, she may have considered it a coincidence that there was a Jedi master named Joshua Rayne who had lived more than 400 years ago. But since the Jedi were all but extinct, this tiny twitch of information was insignificant as a speck of dust. She looked up at the two new guests and smiled.

"The staff and crew of Haven's Glow is honored to host the house of Rayne," she declared, handing them their cards back. "Enjoy your stay."

A-A-A

They hadn't been in their suite more than five minutes before Tamar assessed the situation.

"This was a mistake," she groaned.

"Are you kidding? This place is amazing!" Ezra couldn't stop admiring the room. Marble arches supported the room, the glossy furniture was carved of the best and heaviest andora wood, and the rich purple velvet carpet was so soft that he nearly sank into his ankles while walking across it. He was ready to fall down and go to sleep on the floor instead of making it to the bedroom.

Instead, Ezra took a flying leap and landed on one of the couches. "Woah!" Ezra laughed. The plush cushions bounced generously beneath him. Too bad Sabine and Zeb weren't here!

"The clerk said she was honored to host the house of Rayne. We're just servants in the household," Tamar explained.

Hearing this, Ezra's attention was piqued and he instantly bolted up. "They're expecting Lord Rayne to make an appearance, aren't they?" he asked. Tamar nodded. "Can't we just say that Lord Rayne is sick or something?"

"An excuse would make the staff suspicious. Why would he send two of his servants to a resort just for the fun of it? I'm afraid we need to alter the cover story to keep up the pretense."

"Are you sure?" When Tamar nodded, Ezra quickly racked his brains for a solution. "I have an idea," he said. "But I'll have to contact Commander Sato without being traced. There's a public data outpost several blocks from Haven's Glow where I could send a coded message."

"What are you going to do?"

Ezra grinned. "I'm going to make sure Lord Rayne joins us at Haven's Glow."

Tamar's brows furrowed in response. "I hope you know what you're doing."

"Have I ever let you down?"

"You did sabotage a case of prototype bombs behind my back," Tamar pointed out.

"Which would have exploded off-schedule anyway," Ezra countered.

"Point taken. But before you leave the hotel, take these downstairs." Tamar picked up a heavy vase of flowers and thrust them into Ezra's arms. "Tell the clerk that Lord Rayne only tolerates hothouse flowers in his rooms."

"Why?"

"Pretense," she explained. "Nothing is too good for us or our master."

Ezra though it a waste of time and energy but did as he was told. Once he reached the lobby, Ezra plunked the vase of flowers on the front desk and informed the newly-rotated clerk of the problem. The clerk was dismayed.

"We had no idea that Lord Rayne was allergic to blanch-blossoms. How thoughtless of us!" he exclaimed.

Ezra was ready to assure him that it wasn't a big deal but remembered Tamar's words, forced himself to frown at him. "Yes, it was thoughtless," he said in a patronizing tone. "My master had heard such fine reviews of Haven's Glow that he insisted I inspect his rooms first before he arrived. A good thing I did or else he might have changed his mind about coming at all."

"We just received a shipment of Alderanian safflowers. Perhaps those would suffice?" the clerk asked.

"I suppose," Ezra replied carelessly.

The nervous clerk wiped his brow. "We will have new flowers delivered at once. Lord Rayne can count on our full cooperation during his visit."

The clerk turned and whispered a command to two other staff members. Ezra was ready to leave the hotel when someone spoke just over his shoulder.

"How lovely," the voice murmured.

Ezra whirled around and was bewildered at the sight of the young female Twi'lek standing nearby. He had never seen one with such a bewitching shade of violet skin before or such pretty features.

She was petite in stature, a head shorter than him, with large bright eyes that shined like twin lavender gems and full-pouting lips. With her rich purple complexion and attired in a silver dress, she looked like a well-cultured blossom standing in the middle of the room.

While he couldn't pinpoint how old she was, Ezra guessed she was about fifteen or sixteen years old. She gazed curiously at Ezra with those shining eyes and a playful smile. A rush of heat and pleasure ran through him.

"Um, h-hi!" he stammered aloud. He managed to tear his eyes away from her long enough to look back at the flowers. "I uh, don't suppose you're allergic to these, are you?"

"I am not."

"Would you like one?" Seeing the surprise on her face, he nearly slapped his forehead with his palm. How stupid of him to offer flowers to a complete stranger! He urged himself to focus and remember that he was on a mission.

"How kind of you," the Twi'lek declared. She lifted one crimson star-shaped flower out of the vase and held it above her chin. She closed her eyes, drinking in the scent. Then she opened her eyes and gave Ezra a velvety smile. When she spoke again her words were slow and smooth as cream.

"May I ask to whom I have the pleasure of speaking with?"

"My name is Kay." Ezra offered her a hand and only then realized that it probably wasn't protocol. But the Twi'lek placed her own palm into his own. Her skin was several degrees warmer than Ezra and he could feel the pulse in his wrist thumping from the contact.

"I am Io," she said at last. He could detect a Ryloth accent threaded through her words.

"Io," Ezra repeated. "That's a pretty name. Are you here on business? I mean, are you here alone or with your master? That is, if you have a master—I don't mean…"

Ugh, why did he have to sound like such a kriffing idiot?

Io's voice was like a twinkling bell when she laughed. "Yes, I am here with my master. He is fond of Haven's Glow."

"My master is arriving soon," Ezra announced quickly. It took him a moment to realize that he was still holding Io's hand. With reluctance, his fingers released their grip. Io drew back her hand slowly, the tips of her fingers brushing feather-light over his palm.

"I am pleased to have met you, Kay. Perhaps we will see each other again soon?"

"I think so," he replied quickly. " _I hope so"_ , he thought. He watched her walk off, hips swaying softly as if to music that only she could here. Several other people in the lobby eyed her with interest.

"Damn," muttered one of the staff. "If that isn't the most bewitching girl I've ever seen. The baron must have paid a fortune for her."

Ezra could feel his wrist still tingling from her touch. His experience with Twi'leks so far had been one of respect and admiration. Hera was a pilot and Tamar was an entrepreneur. Both women were dedicated to causes bigger then themselves. They were his superiors and Ezra didn't dare cross their paths.

But that graceful Twi'lek couldn't have been older than himself. Ezra wanted to know her and _about_ her, aside from the fact that he now had her name and knew she served a baron who visited Haven's Glow often.

"Young Master Kay?" Ezra broke out of his daze long enough to see the head clerk glancing at him. "Did you require anything else?"

He cleared his throat. "No, that's all. I will be back soon."

Ezra left the lobby and headed down the street with a spring in his step.

A-A-A

The sound of a transmission coming in broke Tamar's thoughts. She picked up the chirping box and turned it on.

 _"Lord Rayne requests your presence in the lobby,"_ beeped the message.

"Ezra, you certainly work fast," she murmured. Tamar quickly dressed in a silk green pantsuit and wrapped her favorite beaded scarf around her head. She slipped two silver bangles on her right wrist and then made her way downstairs.

She entered the lobby to find Kanan Jarrus standing beside Ezra. Tamar instantly recognized the handiwork of her colleagues. Though she knew nothing of the mission or of Kanan's reputation as a Jedi, Nava had relished the task of dressing up Ezra's teacher.

The black velvet jacket Kanan wore showed off his broad shoulders and strong posture. The silver brocade that trimmed his collar and cuffs identified him as a man of high rank and sophistication. White creased trousers were tucked into brown leather boots. Kanan's beard had been closely trimmed for the occasion and his eyes were covered with a slim black visor. He carried a carved walking stick adorned with a golden knob that he lightly tapped against the floor from time to time.

Lord Joshua Rayne may have been blind but Kanan had to resist smiling when the whispers of approval circulated around the room by female guests. How thrilling to meet the mysterious Lord Rayne in the flesh. A pity that he was blind! But being handsome _and_ rich compensated adequately.

Sensing Tamar's presence, he extended a hand to her. "Is that my favorite Twi'lek I hear approaching?" he drawled with a beaming smile. Tamar accepted his hand and sank into a deep curtsy at his feet.

"Yes, my lord."

She stood up as Kanan lightly kissed her on the hand. "I missed you during my trip, my dear. How delightful to have you by my side again!" He threaded his arm around Tamar's elbow and whispered, "Sorry for the last-minute niceties. But duty calls."

"And it calls with class," Tamar murmured back quietly. "You look every inch the part."

"My lord!" stammered one of the clerks. "We didn't know you would be here so soon."

"My business deal concluded ahead of schedule. Fortunately, my manservant and companion were able to make arrangements ahead of time," Kanan replied leisurely. "Are my rooms prepared as I instructed?"

"Yes master," Ezra answered formally.

"Excellent." With a wave of his cane, Kanan strode off with Tamar on his arm and Ezra following at his heels. Ten minutes later, they were inside the hotel rooms and had quickly examined nooks and crannies for any hidden cameras.

Once Ezra was given the approval, he sat down with his peers around the table.

"We've got a layout of the hotel planned here." Ezra pressed a button and the holographic images of Haven's Glow sprang up. "What's our plan?"

"We need opportunities when security will be most lax," Kanan said. "Haven's Glow will be having an indoor casino for tomorrow night and a concert the evening after. Most of the staff will be preoccupied with attending to guests. If Lord Rayne will be tending those events, hopefully people will not be paying attention to his manservant or companion."

Ezra glanced at Tamar. "What do you think?"

"You two have been in this field longer than myself. It sounds logical to me," she agreed. Tamar leaned forward and pointed to a room on the map. "If I may make a suggestion, the art gallery on the second floor would be a suitable place to make a move. It will be open both evenings but the greater focus will be on the casino and concert."

Ezra enlarged the visuals of the art gallery. "There's security programs to make sure nothing gets taken out of the gallery. But nothing here mentions information being moved from one part of the hotel to another," he said with a grin.

Kanan was impressed. "This hotel's security will detect any long-range sensors going in and out. A short-range sensor will be our best shot for now," he explained. "Any information that we send out will have to be coded and processed through a net-tower before Chopper can pick it up. Ezra, do you think you could plug a hack-bit into an outlet if we send you into the gallery?"

"No problem," he answered.

"Not yet," Kanan warned. "Somehow our missions tend to get more complicated along the way."

"C'mon, how hard could this be? You and Tamar go into the casino, I go the gallery to get a list, and we walk out of Haven's Glow with none the wiser!"

"Mmm, I think we should stay here until after the concert," Tamar suggested. "To cut and run would make the staff suspicious even if your droid is able to cover his tracks."

"Fine. Until then we need too-"

" _Bombing in Terrance Square kills four and injures eight,"_ an electronic voice suddenly announced with a rasp. The map of the hotel had been erased and replaced with the holo-net announcement, following by several images of stormtroopers around a ruined building. Everyone fell silent as the holo-net continued the news.

" _Imperial enforcers have tightened security in the Gamma sector and are on the hunt for the terrorists who have carried out the operation. Emperor Palpatine condemned the act of violence against the fair and just citizens of the Empire and has announced that enemies of the galaxy will be punished for their crimes."_

The holo-net shut itself off sharp buzz. Tamar frowned and looked at Kanan and then Ezra, who sensed the hostility in her silence.

"It wasn't us," he insisted. "The Rebellion would never carry out a mission like that!"

"Never?" she repeated coolly.

"Tamar, do you think the Rebellion would gain anything from attacking Terrance Square?" Kanan asked her calmly.

"I don't know," she answered in the same monotone voice. "Perhaps I signed on too quickly to work with fanatics."

"We're _not_ fanatics," Ezra protested. "The Rebellion always tries to minimize casualties when civilians are nearby." 

"He's right," Kanan added. "There's no weapons or supplies there worth stealing and it would be a waste of resources to pick a fight with stormtroopers in that sector. Commander Sato would condemn an attack like this one".

The creases in Tamar's face held for a moment. "Then you think this could be the work of someone else?"

"I wouldn't dismiss the anarchy theory," Kanan answered. "A lot of smugglers and criminals have benefited from wars, first by starting them, and then taking advantage of smuggled weapons and people. More conflict creates more profit for them."

The Jedi's words hung heavily in the air and Ezra glanced nervously at Tamar. Their paths had first crossed after a black-market ring had combed a Rebellion battlefield in search of survivors to sell off. If not the spice mines, then the brothels would do. Ezra's fate could have been a far worse one had Tamar not found him and bought him from the thugs.

"Can you pull up those holo-images again? See if you can find any Rebellion signs left at the scene," Kanan suggested.

Ezra quickly drew up and enlarged the photos, examining and explaining aloud the damage that was done. None of it had any familiar handiwork that he was familiar with. But a chalk drawing scrawled on a wall caught his eye and he had it magnified as large as possible.

"It's the double-streak bolt," he told Kanan. "That's the work of the Lightning Squad, isn't it?"

"I'm afraid it is. But I don't know what a criminal league would gain from blowing up a building of Imperial civilians."

"I can see you both have done your homework," Tamar said at last. She seemed to relax a bit from this new information. "If we can't do anything else about this new information now then I suggest we focus on carrying out our expected roles."

"Like what?"

Tamar picked up her purse and rose to her feet. "I am going to acquire some additional clothes for all of us. Perhaps Lord Rayne and his manservant would care to take advantage of the bathhouse while I am gone."

A-A-A

" _This_ is a bathhouse?" Ezra gasped.

He could barely breathe from the thick steam that enveloped his body. Through the billowing clouds, he could make out the sunken-in tubs of black marble, the intricate mosaics of blue and deep-red tiles on the walls, and various benches where patrons were sprawled out in relaxation. rched windows had been cut into the walls letting late-afternoon orange light filter in through the glass. 

Kanan was standing to his left, one hand on Ezra's shoulder for guidance. "Just breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth," Kanan assured him quietly.

"Yeah, not sure I want to breath in someone else's sweat," Ezra muttered back. He eyed a man who was lying on a bench with a towel on his face and snoring loudly.

It felt weird enough wearing just a towel around his waist but having to see all of the other male clients mulling around the bathhouse attired the same way was even more bizarre. He had to restrain the urge to laugh at people's accidental tattoos, their sagging arms, hairy legs, and other physical features there were often concealed by clothes.

"The steam has many benefits," Kanan explained. "Among them are lowering one's blood pressure and clearing the mind. Consider this experience part of your training."

"If you say so, master," Ezra said with a smile. He gingerly stepped through the swirling steam, still making sure Kanan's hand was resting on his shoulder. While he suspected that Kanan could easily maneuver through the bathhouse himself, the façade became helpful as several other men greeted Lord Rayne.

"Come sit with us," called one of them. He had a hearty belly and thick red hair parted to one side. His feet were dangling in a pool of water and he held a glass of some deep green liquid in his hand. Kanan took a seat next to them and motioned for Ezra to do the same. The hot water was a relief to the soles of his feet and he breathed in and out a few times, feeling the warm air loosen his taut muscles.

"May I ask who I have the honor of speaking with?" Kanan inquired.

"Count Caswell, at your service." The redheaded man took a long hearty drink from his glass. "So nice to meet the infamous Lord Rayne at last. I could tell that many women in the lobby were pleased with your appearance. Ah, if I could only lose twenty years of age and some of this," he paused and patted his generous stomach. "But the pastries of Haven's Glow kitchens live up to their reputation."

Kanan chuckled politely. The count then turned to Ezra, who had been nearly lulled into a haze from the heat saturating his body.

"Your first time to a bathhouse, eh?" he asked Ezra.

"Not this one, sir," Ezra answered tactfully.

"My manservant chose well," Kanan declared. "With Kay as my eyes and ears, Haven's Glow pleases me so far."

"If you want to be pleased, perhaps you can convince the staff to allow some beautiful female masseurs into the room!" laughed Caswell. Kanan joined him in the laugh and Ezra suddenly thought about Io. Caswell noticed the manservant's reddened face.

"Or Kay should do the job," he suggested. "Judging by the way that lovely servant-girl was smiling at you this morning, I'm sure the ladies find you equally irresistible as your master."

If it was possible, Ezra's face flushed a darker shade of crimson. "L-Lord Rayne's needs come first," he stammered.

Caswell slapped a hand on his shoulder. "Loyal as well as modest! Lord Rayne, with a dedicated manservant by your side and that glorious blue creature on your arm, you are truly a man of good taste."

The conversation fell silent as the steam parted and a new guest stepped closer. Ezra guessed him to be about six or seven years older than Kanan with black hair that fell to his shoulders. When he turned towards them, it revealed a face of sharp and dignified features and a touch of gray at his temples.

"Count Caswell, Lord Rayne," he murmured as he nodded to both men. They nodded back.

"Come, Baron Sparr. The water is most pleasant," urged Caswell.

"Thank you, gentlemen. But I must decline." The baron made his way to a corner of the room and proceeded to study the data pad in his hand.

"Tsk!" Caswell shook his head. "The man never stops working. I would not be surprised if he took that data pad to bed with him."

"Do you know Baron Sparr well?" Kanan asked politely.

"Well enough," Caswell shrugged. "His family nearly went bankrupt about a decade ago but he's turned things around. Made excellent profits in medical supplies for Imperial academies. That was his servant-girl who caught your eye, Kay."

"Io is Baron Sparr's servant?"

"From what I've seen, she's as loyal to the baron as you are to his lordship."

 _"Which means I'll see her again soon,_ " Ezra thought to himself. Hope glimmered within his chest.

Kanan drew his feet out of the water and made his way over to one of the benches on the room. He stretched himself out and yawned.

"Kay, return to our rooms and have kaff and refreshments brought up. Make sure they prepare our drinks extra-hot this time," he ordered Ezra. "Come back and wake me in an hour."

"Yes, master." Ezra pulled his feet out of the pool and thanked the count for the conversation while Lord Rayne quickly drifted into sleep. After he left, Caswell was alone in the pool until Baron Sparr finally put down his data pad and joined him in the water.

"You work too much!" Caswell chastised his colleague.

"With those recent bombings, one can never be too careful," said Sparr. He gestured to the figure of Lord Rayne draped across one of the benches. "Someone like him doesn't even has his sight to protect him. It's a terrible shame."

The blind man snored softly in response.

"Ha ha! I think Lord Rayne is well-protected," chortled Caswell.

"If you say so. But in the meantime, I have considered your offer and decided to sell you the three percent of my company that you requested," said Sparr.

"Finally!" Caswell slapped the water with his palm. "I would think you were a century old to take so long to make a decision! But why the sudden change in plans? Say, you must know something important that we don't."

"I'm bored," Sparr sighed aloud. "Selling off some outdated investment will be a welcomed change."

"How can you be bored with a Twi'lek by your side?" Caswell asked. "Ah, I know. She's quite young. Perhaps you should exchange her for someone with a bit more..." his voice trailed off.

"Perhaps," Sparr murmured, not requiring his sentence to be concluded.

Lord Rayne grunted in his sleep and scratched his stomach while Kanan Jarrus continued to listen attentively.

A-A-A

_Night at Haven's Glow:_

The door to a luxury suite slid open smoothly, allowing Io to slip out of the room as if she was no more than a wisp of silk. Her feet lightly padded on the floor just as a protocol droid came into view. The droid stopped and stiffened before her. But the Twi'lek merely blinked her eyes at him calmly.

"Thank stars you are here," she replied. "Senator Gallen had too much wine."

"I will attend to him," remarked the droid. It walked passed her without detection and entered the suite. Io gave one twirl on her heels and advanced to the top of the hotel, where her master was waiting in a maximum-security suite of his own.

Sparr was sitting in the lounge reading news off the holo-net. He looked up with anticipation when Io stepped in and made herself comfortable on the cushions.

"Did you get the information?" he demanded.

"Was there any doubt?" Io responded. The Twi'lek's purple fingers held a data-chip in the air. He took it from her, inserted the chip into a processor, and studied the information that scrolled before his eyes.

Io showed little interest in the data and toyed with the cuffs of her dress instead. Finally he turned off the holo-vision and grinned at her. "Well done, pet. I hope he wasn't too much for you."

The Twi'lek gave a roll of her eyes. "The senator is a fool and his wife is an old hag," she remarked with disgust.

"Poor dear," Sparr smiled. "I have just the thing for you." He drew out a velvet box and placed it into Io's hands. She pried it open and her eyes lit up. Io removed a delicate bracelet of gold wound three times and adorned with deep-green gems.

"One Correlion gold bracelet in exchange your services," he announced. Io slid the bracelet just above her right elbow and examined herself in the window's reflection. "How do I look?" she asked.

"Irresistible." He patted her cheek affectionately. "Onto other matters, I think it would be good for you to keep your eyes open around Lord Rayne. I doubt he's a threat but still let me know if you hear of anything suspicious."

"How much threat can a blind man be?"

"Very little, I hope. I'm surprised he doesn't go around with an armed guard nearby."

"He keeps a Twi'lek of his own," Io remarked dryly.

"A rather elegant one too," he added. The baron had noticed Lord Rayne's own companion in the foyer and now approval flickered in his eyes. Io noticed the change in his demeanor and panicked.

"Master!" Io gasped. She tucked in her feet and bounced twice upon the cushions. "You do not think to replace me, do you? I am far younger and prettier than her!"

Sparr reached out and patted her on the knee. "Don't worry, pet. You're too valuable to me."

His reassurance fanned away the flush from Io's cheeks. She released a sigh of relief and scooting closer, curled up next to her master.

A-A-A

_Imperial Star Destroyer:_

Agent Kallus pushed aside the cup of tasteless kaff and re-examined the scene of the crime.

"It _must_ the rebels," his fellow officer insisted. "Just another one of their meddlesome tricks!"

"And yet no ships that match the rebels' descriptions were at the bombing," Kallus remarked. He leaned back in his chair and linked his fingers together. "Nor did we see their usual spray-painted signatures on the wall."

The other officer shuffled in place. "You suspect another party was involved?"

"I do. As easy as it would be to pin the Terrance bombing on the rebels, this attack has none of their signature moves. This has the handiwork of the criminal ring Lightning Squad."

"We'll tighten security around the perimeter," the officer announced.

Kallus said nothing but frowned back at the holo-vision. " _Who are you and what do you want?"_ he thought to himself. No matter. In time he would find out the true agenda of the Lightning Squad.

He glanced back at his cup and suddenly thought of Kaller.

A-A-A

_Haven's Glow:_

In a room swathed with silk and muted from the traffic outside, someone thrashed in the dark. The ripple of tension from the Force had woken Kanan up and now he focused on the other bed in the room.

"What's wrong?"

"Can't sleep," Ezra grumbled. He hoisted himself up halfway and punched his pillow fretfully. "I thought I'd be able to relax more in a fancy hotel. But it's too soft and quiet."

Kanan laughed softly. "The lap of luxury has its own problems."

Ezra groaned and flopped back onto the soft mattress. The enormous bed could accommodate three people and the sheets were so smooth that they slid through his fingers like cream. He was sure that he would sleep better than on his firm bunk at the Ghost. But the Ghost had the ongoing hum of engines and footsteps of people around him for so long that Ezra had grown accustomed to them in the background.

But in the Haven's Glow suite, everything had been tailored for maximum relaxation. Ezra's brain disliked the empty space and was restlessly trying to fill itself up with something to occupy itself.

Kanan sat up in bed. "Io, hmm?"

He could hear Ezra's heart rate elevate at once. "She's amazing," Ezra exclaimed. "She walks like she's dancing and has this incredibly soft voice..."

Kana listened quietly as Ezra told him about his encounter in the lobby. "Maybe while we're here we can rescue Io from her master," he concluded brightly. _"Wouldn't she be pleased?"_ he thought inwardly. _  
_

"Maybe," Kanan said slowly. "But remember that Io is considered the property of Baron Sparr. If we rushed in to set Io free then Haven's Glow would accuse us of theft."

"She's not an object, Kanan. She's a person!"

"We know that. But other people don't," his master explained carefully. "And in Haven's Glow it is vital that we keep playing our roles if we want to stay here and complete the mission."

Ezra suddenly realized how distracted he had become from the assignment and disapproval barbed within himself. But as he let Kanan's words sink into him, Ezra's thoughts gradually turned to acceptance. "Okay. If we want to help other people then we need to make sure we can help ourselves."

"Always learning on the job," Kanan nodded in approval.

He heard Ezra flop back down on the bed. There were two beats of silence and then-

"Ugh, I still can't sleep!" Ezra moaned. He tossed a pillow onto the floor.

"There's a technique I was taught in the Jedi Temple," Kanan said. "Try counting slowly backwards from ten. Every time you count a number, picture it through objects in your mind."

Ezra pulled the blankets up to his chest. "I'll try."

"Close your eyes and listen to the sound of your breathing. Don't try too hard to focus," Kanan assured him.

"I thought Jedi training was all about focus."

"You must unlearn what you have learned," his teacher murmured.

Ezra smiled in the dark. "Master Yoda?"

"Who else?"

Ezra closed his eyes and inhaled through his nose.

_Ten._

Ten ships skimming across the stars. He breathed out as slowly as possible through his lips.

 _Nine_.

Nine blades of grass blowing in the wind. Ezra inhaled again, his mouth suddenly widening into a yawn as exhaustion crept over him.

 _Eight_.

Eight loth-cats marching in a circle. His eyes began to close and he imagined himself stepping into the circle and petting their soft fur.

Ezra didn't make it to number seven. Within moments, his soft even breathing assured Kanan that all was well with his padawan. There was much work to be done but Kanan knew that everything had its time and place.

Now it was the time to rest. The Force would give them the strength they needed when tomorrow came.

A-A-A

Author's notes: Fans of "Casablanca" will recall that Tamar, Nava, and Miri have Hebrew and Biblical-inspired names. Io's name is inspired by Greek mythology, specifically one of Zeus' lovers. Her name is appropriate for her role. I hope that fans will continue to read despite the brief mention of podracing.


	2. Chapter 2

Ezra's eyes opened slowly and he yawned, stretching out and feeling the endless mattress beneath his fingertips. The room was still pitch-black though he felt refreshed. What time was it anyway?

"Windows," he ordered. The automatic drapes parted and sunshine splayed across the room so brightly that Ezra had to squint before facing the sky. A glance at the digital timer flickering on the wall screen sent him leaping out of the bed.

"Kriff, it's late!"

Kanan's bed was empty and after racing into Tamar's room, Ezra was mortified to see that she was gone as well. " _This is_ exactly _what happens when Chopper isn't around_ ", he fumed to himself. Never did he wish the feisty astro-mech was there to wake him up with a sudden shock or twist of the nose.

"Socks, socks, where are my socks?" he grumbled aloud, suddenly wishing Tamar was around to help out.

After scrambling around the room for his clothes and dressing in a hurry, Ezra practically raced into the lobby. Guests were mulling about and he finally disciplined himself to stop in his tracks and catch his breath. It wouldn't do to lose his cover as the oh-so-responsible manservant to the house of Rayne!

Fortunately, most of the guests were making their way to the expansive patio to enjoy a leisurely late-morning breakfast. Droids fluttered from table to table, carrying away dirty plates and replacing them with clean ones. Other ones removed dirty tablecloths or were daintily watering the plants and flowers of the encased garden.

Ezra remained in the doorway, poised and attentive, looking for Kanan. He noticed his master sitting at a private table in the shade and was about to walk straight towards it when he realized someone was sitting directly across from Kanan: Baron Sparr.

Though Ezra couldn't hear Sparr's words, he was aware of the baron's animated conversation. No longer the quiet aloof man from the bath house, the baron's facial expressions were now open and eager as he talked to Kanan. The Jedi was starring directly at his guest's face and nodding from time to time, putting in a comment or two. Kanan must have said something to upset Sparr because his lips abruptly sealed shut in a dismay of shock. Then Sparr frowned and a cloud seemed to cover his face, marring his handsome features.

Maneuvering quickly beside a massive vase, Ezra continued to watch the conflict unfold, intrigued to know what had upset the baron.

Kanan then assured something to Sparr, who seemed to recollect himself and apologize. He even smiled again. Then he rose to his feet and placed a small shiny object upon the table. Kanan rose and extended his hand to Sparr, who accepted the handshake and then bowed to Kanan. He picked up his data pad and headed for a table at the other end of the garden.

"Good morning, Master Kay. I trust that you slept well?" Io suddenly replied. Ezra realized that she had materialized by his side and his face broke out into a big smile.

"I slept great," he assured her.

Io lifted herself up upon her tiptoes to examine Kanan and then her master. "It seems that our masters shared a most interesting conversation," she concluded.

"I think Lord Rayne may have said something to upset the baron," Ezra admitted. Then he added, "Do you think it has anything to do with his medical supplies?

Io eyed him curiously. "Why do you want to know?" she asked slowly.

Ezr shrugged his shoulders and tried to appear nonchalant. "For both our masters' benefit. Maybe they could work together for a profit."

The answer pleased Io. "Yes," she murmured. "If Lord Rayne is interested in producing more _mertis-lun_." The word rolled off her tongue smoothly.

"Mertis-lun?" Ezra repeated.

Io sighed with boredom. "It is some chemical used to sterilize wounds and clean engines. I do not know what else it is good for except bringing the baron success."

Ezra didn't know if this piece of information would be useful to the Rebellion but he mentally filed it away just in case.

"Master Kay?" Ezra was greeted by the sight of Tamar, who was arrayed in yellow silk and a pair of matching kid gloves. She looked fresh and lively as the flowers behind her as she told Ezra, "Lord Rayne requests our presence at his table."

Io took the opportunity to examine Tamar up and down. Her eyes narrowed at the taller Twi'lek with disdain. "So this is your master's handmaiden," she remarked coolly.

"Io, this is Tamar," Ezra introduced his colleague. Tamar gave Io a polite nod but the violet Twi'lek did not reciprocate.

"She is much older than I expected," Io pronounced.

Sensing her hostility, Ezra chose to be diplomatic. "Tamar is irreplaceable to the house of Rayne," he explained.

Tamar appeared unfazed by her counterpart's glare. "Age is a matter of experience," she addressed Io knowingly. "Some things improve over time just like a finely-cultivated wine."

"Or they get uglier instead."

The insult slapped Ezra in the face. Had he been wrong about Io?

After giving Tamar a final smirk, Io suddenly turned back to Ezra as friendly as ever. She used her fingertips to extend her skirt and gave him a formal curtsy. "It has been a pleasure, Master Kay." Io had no more words for Tamar and merely flitted back to Sparr, causing several heads to stare at her.

The baron gave Io a brief nod before returning his attention to his data-pad.

Ezra turned to Tamar. "I'm sorry about that," he confessed.

"For what? Someone else's petty-mindedness?" Tamar shrugged her shoulders. "There are always going to be women like that in the universe."

"Like what?"

"The kind who see other women as rivals." Tamar headed towards Kanan's table with Ezra by her side.

"But I don't understand. Who is Io competing against?" he asked.

"The only one who appears to be on equal ground with her. She and I are both Twi'leks currently in the service eligible wealthy bachelors. So she has to push me down in order to raise herself up."

Ezra stopped in his tracks. "That's terrible," he said at last.

" _C'est la vie,"_ Tamar concluded.

Kanan turned his head in their direction when he heard their footsteps. "I take it you two have had an interesting morning so far?"

"You could say that," Ezra admitted as he slid into his seat. "The good news is that we know what the baron does for a living".

"And the bad news?"

"Io isn't as nice as I thought she was."

"Hmm." Kanan stroked his beard. "People have layers to them, often sides of themselves that are difficult to understand."

Tamar sat down between both men and removed her gloves. "Does this nugget of wisdom include your recent skirmish with the baron?" she asked. "It appears that you mentioned something to displease him."

"He wanted me to buy some of his stock and I respectfully declined," Kanan explained. He tapped a finger on the data-chip that Sparr had left him. "Judging by yesterday's conversation in the bath house, he's trying to get various buyers to liquidate his business."

"Why not all at once?" asked Ezra.

"Good question. With five percent here and three percent there, it sounds as if the baron is trying to be discreet about his plans."

Ezra pressed a hand to his chin in thought. "Because if other people got wind of what Sparr was doing they'd all try selling at the same time, right?"

"An economic disaster," Tamar concluded.

Kanan smiled with satisfaction. "Commander Sato picked the right team for this job."

A moment later the serving droid arrived at their table to deliver several steaming platters of food and silver pitchers of drinks. The meal was a far cry from the re-hydrated soups and waffles aboard the Ghost. The cheese-laden omelets, colorful salads, and fresh breads smelled so good that Ezra had to fight the urge to reach out and cram everything into his mouth.

He restrained himself long enough to observe Kanan and Tamar unfold their napkins and place them in their laps and then did the same for himself.

Tamar nodded approvingly and poured him a cup of hot chocolate. Ezra assured her that he could help himself but Tamar reminded him that her role was to act as a sub-servant to himself as well as Kanan. She made sure to serve them each what they liked before helping herself. Ezra watched Tamar take a long sip of tea and sigh luxuriously.

"Jysmeen tea," she murmured. "I haven't had a properly-brewed cup of it in years. Now I don't know about you two but I intend to enjoy this meal as much as possible and that means no quarreling at the table. Many good meals were ruined from foul conversation."

Kanan lowered his cup of kaff. "So all talk of the Empire is out of question."

"As well as taxes and blurgg flu," Tamar insisted.

"Tell her about the time we followed the pergil," Ezra suggested. He was more than ready to let Kanan take the lead role of a wealthy playboy as he dug into a stack of crepes and jam.

With his mouth full of sweet fried dough and the sunshine filtering through the leaves, Ezra was more than satisfied with the mission so far. He only glanced up once to see Io waving at him from her table. He chose to ignore her and concentrate on finishing breakfast.

A-A-A

_Later:_

"Hold still," Tamar murmured. She was holding two pins in her mouth and took one out long enough to slip it through Ezra's sleeve.

"I don't know why we need new clothes for the casino," he protested. "You bought us both jackets yesterday."

"Those were for daytime wear. You require evening formal," Tamar explained. "I'm shaving off unnecessary expenses by having these outfits dyed and re-designed. Nobody else will know the difference."

" _New labels will be sewn into your garments for additional authenticity,_ " confirmed TL-10, the unflappable tailor-droid.

Ezra gave his master a silent plea for help. Kanan was standing on a pedestal with his arms spread out as the black-and-yellow droid assessed every inch of his body. He had been standing still for a good seven minutes and didn't seem to be flagging. Ezra, on the other hand, was ready to run around in circles the minute Tamar let him go.

"You heard her," Kanan grinned. "This is Tamar's moment to shine. As of tonight, her role will be that of a nice bauble on the arm of Lord Rayne."

"And mine will be that of Lord Rayne's most dedicated manservant," Ezra announced.

"I mean it, Ezra. The casino won't permit independent under-age gamblers but being in service to the house of Rayne allows you room for flexibility. Did you go over the layout of the art gallery?"

Ezra nodded in confirmation. "They had some weird pieces there."

Tamar hummed as she adjusted his collar. "And what is the trademark of an authentic Anogiran work of art that you wish to procure?"

The young man sighed and rolled his eyes. "Tamar, we've been over this a dozen times!"

"Which means you should have no trouble telling me for the thirteenth time."

"Fine. Anogiran ceramic pieces are identified by a tiny dark-blue mark encasing the planet's symbol, not two light-blue ones as most people think," Ezra rattled off. "A handmade replica is worth one-quarter to one-third the value of a genuine piece."

"Good."

"Tamar, do people make replicas of kalikoris too?"

Her head jerked up as if on a string, bewildered by the question. "How in stars' sake do you even know what a kalikor is?" she asked.

"Hera told us. We tried to get her family's kalikori back from the Empire."

"'Tried' suggests that your mission didn't succeed."

Ezra shook his head in response.

"The fact that you attempted to rescue a sacred Twi'lek object speaks much about you," she said quietly. Then Tamar added, "To my knowledge, no one would bother to make a counterfeit kalikori because they wouldn't even be able to appreciate the value of a real one."

Another question was on the tip of Ezra's tongue but he hesitated to ask, lest he be prying too much into Tamar's affairs. As if on cue, the glance at Kanan seemed to confirm, " _Ask her anyway._ "

"I don't mean to pry," he began, trying to sound as patient and understanding as possible. "But what happened to your own family's kalikori? Did the Empire confiscate it as well?"

"No. Ours was destroyed back in the Clone Wars when the Separatists bombed our town."

"Oh." A rush of empathy and sadness swept through Ezra. He could already imagine in his mind the cascade of fire crashing down upon buildings, clouds of smoke billowing upwards from the ground, people running from their homes in fear. It wasn't difficult to imagine Tamar as a teenager, watching her world turned upside-down before her eyes.

"It must have been difficult for you," Kanan added sympathetically. "Losing a part of your history."

"It really wasn't," Tamar replied sharply. She jabbed the pin into Ezra's shoulder, causing him to yell, "Ouch!"

"I'm sorry!" Tamar rose to her feet and smoothed out her skirt. "Sorry," she repeated quietly. Ezra recognized her maneuvers as those of a person trying to contain herself. She drew out a breath before going on, releasing her pent-up emotions to the Jedi and his apprentice.

"The kalikori was a source of tension between myself and my aunt, who raised me," Tamar confessed. "I was too young to appreciate its value and she chastised me for not taking the time to care about my heritage. When the fire incinerated our home, I should have been more grateful that my aunt and I survived. But I cared more about my garden that had been scorched within seconds.

"I threw a hysterical fit in my aunt's face. She told me that I should have been more upset about the kalikori being destroyed and that I was selfish to worry about my garden. I screamed at her and said some things that I shouldn't have."

Tamar fell back onto the sofa, looking suddenly exhausted from the emotional outburst. "She died peacefully in her sleep not long after that. As terrible as it sounds, I'm grateful that she passed on before the Empire came to power. The thought of Aunt Bina living to see stormtroopers on Ryloth..."

She looked away towards the windows and knotted her fingers together, lips pinched in defeat. Ezra walked over to the sofa and sat down next to her, placing a hand upon her shoulder.

"I'm sure your aunt understood," he said quietly. "She would be proud of you for staying strong in the face of the Empire."

For first time since he had meet Tamar, Ezra saw the glossy sheen in her eyes as she strained to fight back tears. Tamar quickly dabbed at her face with a handkerchief.

"You're right. Some things are far more important than trinkets or flowers." Smoothing away her frustrations, Tamar rose to her feet. "We should finish preparations for the evening," she announced.

TL-10 procured holographic images of the trio and confirmed that he would return in several hours with their garments. The rest of the afternoon was spent in preparations for the evening as Kanan explained to Ezra how cipher-roulette was played and other games that the casino would offer for the evening.

Their plans were interrupted by the holo-net and a message from Senator Bail Organa, who publicly denounced the attacks not just on Terrance Square but a skirmish that had taken place between civilians and the local police on a small moon not far from Alderan. The people of Alderan were vehement about the attack and demanding aggressive action, a surprising response from a traditionally peaceful planet.

" _Our citizens are reassured that security around Alderan's zone will be increased in the event of an upcoming threat,"_ Bail Organa declared firmly from the holo-net. " _We will remain vigilante, refusing to be intimidated by those who wish to inflict violence upon innocent civilians."_

Much to Ezra's surprise and delight, Leia Organa was standing by her father's side during the press conference. She remained silent the entire time but held herself with confidence and poise, allowing the public to bask in the love of their budding princess and her ascending career.

It had been quite some time since the rebels had banded together with Princess Leia during their skirmish on Lothal. Ezra thought back to the sharp-tongued girl who had irritated him with her blunt words and bossy manner. That same girl had shown another side to Ezra, offering him the hand on the shoulder that he needed since he had learned the devastating news about his parents from Governor Azadi.

It had been a difficult mission and the last thing Ezra wanted was the princess of Alderan to find him crying in the middle of chaos.

But Leia had responded with empathy and kindness, acknowledging the heavy burden that Ezra had been carrying on his shoulders and admiring him for his persistence. The scar within him still ached when he thought of his parents, but Leia's benevolence had been a balm to Ezra, helping him to carry on through the worst of it.

 _"Maybe we'll get to see Leia again soon"_ , Ezra thought hopefully as he did up all twenty-two ebony buttons on his jacket. He glanced at himself in the mirror, making sure that the knot of silk at his throat was just the way Tamar recommended it be tied for a manservant and that his sleeves were free of wrinkles.

There was a knock at the door and then the mirror panel slid open.

The tailor-droid had dressed Tamar in a strapless gown of gold taffeta, revealing her long arms and a lithe neck. Like a sunrise sparkling upon the ocean, Tamar was a ripple of blue and gold as she turned around twice, wincing faintly from the tight bow that TL-10 had knotted in the center of her back. Ah well, it was all a small price to pay in the long run.

Ezra starred at her in awe, unable to find words to say, as Kanan emerged from another door. The tailor-droid had fitted him in head-to-toe black, making the Jedi appear taller and grander than ever. A single white flower was fastened into the lapel of his jacket.

"You look beautiful," Kanan complimented Tamar.

"How can you tell?"

"I have my ways." Ezra's lack of critique certainly suggested that Tamar was going to turn heads tonight. The Twi'lek turned to the young man, a heavy collar of white crystals glittering in her hands.

"Mind helping me out?"

The question brought Ezra back to the present. "What? Oh, yeah! Sure!" He took the necklace from her and once Tamar had turned around, Ezra carefully drew it around her throat. He fiddled with the clasp, taking care not to upset her lekku in the process, but managed to fasten both ends together at the back of her neck.

Tamar faced Ezra again and thanked him. Seeing his perplexed expression she added, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong. You _do_ look amazing. But at the same time, well...not like yourself." Ezra confessed.

"Hmm." Tamar checked herself in the mirror again, watching her reflection glitter and glisten with every move. "Too fancy for my taste?"

"Too gaudy," he said. "I liked that simple white dress you wore on Iolanthe a lot more."

"So do I," Tamar agreed. "But like Kanan said, this is meant for show. Rest assured, Ezra Bridger. Tamar Ily'an is alive and well beneath this gilded flower."

" _Shalva_ ," Kanan murmured.

"What?"

"It's a Jedi expression for a person or state-of-mind. It represents complete harmony within oneself. Even if one's surrounding environment is off-balance, one can have inner _shalva_ to face the oncoming storm."

"Which is an excellent philosophy as you spend your credits on the gambling table," Tamar groaned.

A-A-A

Soft string music threaded through the crowd as the guests of Haven's Glow laughed and drank their way through the casino. This was no smoky back-door gambling hall but a bright airy room adorned with chanticleers that hovered from the ceiling, sending millions of shards of rainbow-colored light onto the floor.

Kanan gave his name to the protocol droid at the door. "Yes, Lord Rayne. We have an opening at the fourth cipher-roulette match. Please follow me."

Ezra trailed behind Kanan and Tamar, who had their arms linked together, and listened to the murmurs from the crowd. Some approved but others responded with jealous tongues.

"Charming, aren't they?"

"Scandalous dress she's wearing. Looks painted-on..."

"Probably trained from birth. They breed them that way."

"Lord Rayne must be a swimmer. He moves so elegantly."

"Wonder where he gets his stamina..."

A hand reached out from the crowd and instantly pinched Ezra's cheek between a forefinger and thumb. He found himself starring into the piggy painted face of one female guest.

"Oooh, aren't you just adorable?" she laughed, spraying spit in his face. "I could just eat you up!"

Anger and disgusted flared up in Ezra and he knocked her hand away as hard as he could. "Get away from me!" he shouted, just as the woman lost her balance and sloshed champagne all over herself. Her tiny black eyes glared venomously at Ezra, who gulped and stepped back. Her colleagues seemed just as displeased with him.

"Kay, would you be so kind as to direct the master?" Tamar called back to him. "Lord Rayne says he is utterly perplexed in this crowd."

"Coming," Ezra called with great relief. In an instant he was by Kanan's side, his master's hand on his shoulder in a gesture of protection.

"You okay back there?" Kanan whispered under his breath.

"I am now," Ezra said.

"Let me know if anyone else bothers you," his master assured him. With renewed relief, Ezra smoothly steered Kanan towards the game table.

A polished wooden rim rose up several inches around the velvet-lined table. Standing in the center was a dizzying three-tiered contraption composed of clear glass wheels. Ezra watched the guests hand numbered balls to a consul droid, who places them in the top of the cipher-roulette. With hypnotic grace, the roulette trickled the balls downwards in an intricate maze of glass tunnels before landing on the table in various blue and orange markers.

"Number 41-Theta," the consul droid announced. A second droid pushed a stack of credits towards a pair of twins who giggled and hugged each other in glee.

Ezra glanced up again at the cipher-roulette. "That looks complicated."

"It's pure chance," Tamar remarked with disdain. "I'm glad those aren't my own credits you'll be throwing onto the table."

"Even an entrepreneur can take a chance," Kanan said.

"I'd rather earn it through goods and services instead of hurling it down a glass vacuum. But you're welcome to try." Tamar diligently lined up a stack of credits and pushed them towards Kanan, followed by a tray of balls etched in markings.

Kanan selected one ball and handed it to Ezra. "39-Rho," he instructed.

Ezra carefully carried the ball to the consul droid and said, "Lord Rayne bids on 39-Rho." The droid accepted the ball, reached up, and placed it into the top of the roulette. Ezra was nearly dizzy as the ball tottered to and fro from one glass ring to another, finally landed upon the table and rolling into the slot marked 39-Rho.

The guests murmured in surprise, following by light clapping for Lord Rayne.

"Beginner's luck," Tamar muttered. Master and apprentice grinned together.

Kanan's state of mind was swiftly interrupted by the cascading sounds that reached his ears and threaded through his mind. Though it all, he could detect a growing bubble of tension about to burst not too far from him.

"Ezra, is something going on about forty feet ahead of us?"

The padawn lifted himself up upon his toes and squinted to get a better look. "Looks like someone just won a mountain of credits at the other table. He's about to leave and he sure looks-uh oh..."

"What's 'uh-oh'?"

"The consul droid has him by the arm and won't let him leave the table. Now security is coming over."

"Does he look angry or scared?"

"Definitely scared."

The fear was tangible; Kanan could sense it rippling off the man like a gale across a pond. There was a shout of protest, followed by the struggle of bodies as the guards pinned the man's arms behind his back and escorted him swiftly out of the building. A few people glanced back at him curiously but said nothing in protest, not even at the consul droid swept an arm across the table and confiscated the credits.

Ezra gulped. "Haven's Glow doesn't like to lose, do they?"

"We'd better not get too lucky," Kanan advised. "I'll try not to come out any more than two thousand ahead."

While Tamar assisted Kanan in preparing another ball, Ezra watched a guest from a third table. A young blonde woman in pink silk was twisting her scarf around her palms nervously. The pile of credits in front of her was dwindling down rapidly. Ezra couldn't help but feel sorry for her as she fought back tears, handing her last ball to the droid.

"Number 22-Tau," she gasped. The ball was placed at the top and began its descent back down to the table. She was wringing her hands fretfully, eyes never leaving the ball as it landed and then began to roll across the table. Ezra watched it slow down, realizing that it was going to enter 23-Tau instead.

Closing his eyes and concentrating inwardly, he formed an image of the ball in his mind and projected his energy outwards. Ezra's thoughts stretched towards the ball, nudging it into a different direction. " _Number 22-Tau, number 22-Tau"_ , he repeated to himself. He heard a faint _plop_.

"Number 22-Tau," the consul droid concluded. The woman in pink fell back in her seat, tears of relief streaming down her face while her colleagues clapped in approval. Ezra exhaled with satisfaction.

"What are you doing?" Kanan hissed under his breath.

"I'm helping out," Ezra hissed back.

"You _cannot_ use the Force out in the open like that!"

"Aren't you using it too?"

"You're being conspicuous!"

"And you're not?"

"Maybe I should just hire a pair of snakes instead of you two," Tamar suggested, shuffling the pile of credits in front of her. Kanan nervously coughed and took a sip of champagne.

"She's about twenty years old and she looks upset," Ezra pleaded.

"Is anyone playing with her?"

"No, she's alone. Can't we help her out just this once?"

Kanan's wavering decision was over quickly and he sighed. "All right. Ask her to join us."

"Lo and behold, _shalva_ shines forth," Tamar smirked.

Ezra made his way over to the blonde who was counting up her meager pile of credits. She frantically wiped at her wet face and tried to smile at him. "Yes?"

He bowed at the waist to her before speaking. "My master, Lord Rayne, would be honored if you joined him at his table for the next round."

The woman looked perplexed. "Please tell your master that I thank him for his offer," she declared. "But I do not have enough credits for another match."

"Lord Rayne will cover the match," Ezra assured her. He extended a hand to the woman, who seemed to brighten up by the second. Mustering and pulling herself together, she accepted Ezra's hand and rose to her feet. The woman wrapped her scarf around her shoulders as she followed Ezra back to Kanan's table.

"Kay! I heard the sound of elegant footsteps following you," Kanan declared. He offered a hand to the blonde woman and shook her hand warmly. Through the cool touch of her skin, Kanan could sense the anxiety underneath her smile. She had certainly gotten in over her head at the game.

"You honor me with your presence, my dear. May I ask who I have the honor of sharing my table with?"

Lord Rayne's cordial manners soothed their guest's rattle nerves. "Lady Rowena Rimon," she murmured. "You have my gratitude, Lord Rayne. But I cannot guarantee that I will be of much help to you for the remainder of the evening."

"Your presence is all the help that I require," he assured her. Tamar gestured for Lady Rowena to sit to the right of Kanan, who leaned over and whispered into her ear, "Tell me how much you require and I'll see what I can do."

"L-Lord Rayne, I couldn't possibly-"

"-I would be dishonoring my ancestors to allow a woman of your refinement to lose face in public. If not for your sake, then for the sake of the house of Rayne?"

"I suppose," Lady Rowena consented. She sighed and then whispered back, '"Fifteen hundred."

Lord Rayne merely rubbed his chin in though. "Fifteen hundred. That isn't so bad."

He handed two more balls to Ezra, who eagerly sent them off to the droid. Within minutes, they were spiraling and whirling away overhead. Kanan's maneuvers with the Force were so precise and fine that Ezra hardly noticed. The Jedi didn't even have to wave his hands to control the kinetic energy within the balls as he guided them towards their destined slots.

"9-Theta, 37-Nu."

Polite claps rose up from around them as the droid slid a pile of credits before Kanan. Tamar counted them into a neat stack for Lady Rowena.

"Lord Rayne, you never fail to amaze me," bellowed the joyful voice of Count Caswell. He approached the table just as Lady Rowena had placed the credits into her purse. The blonde woman accepted a kiss on the cheek from Caswell, her face blushing from her restored fortunes.

Ezra expected Count Caswell to finish courting Rowena but instead he turned back to Kanan. "Would you permit me a dance with your charming Twi'lek companion?" he asked.

"Tamar?" Kanan murmured as softly as possible.

"I can handle him," she assured him under her breath. "It's this dress that's handling me."

Lord Rayne assured Caswell aloud, "Just have her back in once piece."

"I will!" Count Caswell eagerly extended his elbow to Tamar and she linked her arm around it, before allowing him to lead her to the dance floor. Fellow dancers looked on in admiration at the glittering figure of Tamar and her stocky partner, who seemed surprisingly agile on the dance floor.

"Count Caswell, you are a true patron of the arts," Tamar complimented him.

"The presence of a lovely lady brings out the best in me," he declared. "I do wish we saw more Twi'leks in our presence. Sometimes I think you're all hiding underground like seeds in the winter."

"Ah, but we shine forth in the warmest summers," said Tamar.

"What would it take to let such beauty shine all year 'round?"

Instead of answering honestly, Tamar just laughed sweetly as he twirled her around the floor.

"They look like they're doing well," Ezra assured Kanan. "What's our next move?"

"I'll try to lose a few hands along the way and come out barely ahead," Kanan advised him. "Think you can hit the gallery now?"

"Sure."

"Once you've found what you need, send it off through the com-tower. We'll meet you back at our suite later tonight."

This murmured conversation was lost on behalf of the guests, who merely watched Lord Rayne give orders to his manservant. The young man clicked his heels, bowed, and walked off with confidence.

Kanan was ready to play another round when someone sat down next to him.

"Might we interest you in a round of sabaac, Lord Rayne? Our table requires another player."

The Jedi maneuvered his head to the direction of the voice. "Your offer is welcomed. But my visual impediment makes me useless with sabaac cards."

"Not these cards," insisted the young man. He slipped a stack of printed cards into Kanan's hands and he curiously ran his fingers over the markings.

"The casino uses these from time-to-time to prevent cheating. The cards are painted black and the grooves can only be felt by the person holding them," he explained. "An internal audio control will announce your cards aloud once you've placed them on the table."

"Then I accept your offer."

"Great." The young man waved his friend over excitedly. "Paul! Grace! His lordship says he'll play with us!"

Within minutes, Kanan was seated at a small square table and heartily involved in the sabacc game.

A-A-A

"I'm looking for a gift for my master," Ezra announced to the petite woman in the gallery.

The clerk looked bored and annoyed to be away from the action of the casino but plastered a smile onto her face. The blue braids in her hair twitched restlessly as she led Ezra into the gallery and proceeded to rattle off information for the ninetieth time that day.

Brushing past the wall, Ezra noticed an available outlet and carefully slipped a tiny hack-chip into it. The sensor let out a faint glimmer of red but as he stepped away, Ezra noticed that the light faded out the further away he got.

He walked towards a bowl that was sitting on a block of black marble and turned it over. Then Ezra carefully recited the words that Tamar had prepared him for. "I've never seen such a well-detailed replica of the Anogiran dynasty," he said at last.

"Replica?" The clerk's fingernails turned white as she clutched her data pad. "Young man, that is an original piece of their Neo-Aurora set."

"An original? Really?" Ezra turned the bowl over and examined the markings. Sure enough, two thick pale blue lines ran around the logo. He held it up for the clerk to see and gave her a level-headed stare.

Then he made his way to a silk-lined shelf and scrutinized the music boxes. Each one was small enough to fit in his palm and released a few sweet notes when he opened them up. One-by-one, Ezra took his time to examine their markings until he found a box with the required deep-blue mark. The clerk looked embarrassed and pretended to study her data pad.

The timer in Ezra's pocket vibrated, informing him that the transfer of data was complete.

He carried the music box over to the clerk. "Would you be so kind as to examine the date and maker of this model?"

She smiled at him through gritted teeth but took the music box from Ezra. The clerk walked back to the front of the gallery to research the information while Ezra made a show of walking around the room. Pretending to lean against the wall to adjust his collar with one hand, the fingers of his other hand found the outlet and he drew the chip out of it.

The scrutinizing cameras overhead suspecting nothing more than a young manservant attentive with his wardrobe as both chip and hack-sensor were restored safely to Ezra's pocket.

Having found the appropriate data, the clerk now returned to Ezra with newfound respect and humility. "I have the data you requested right here," she announced, showing him the data pad. "Would you like the music box gift-wrapped, Master Kay?'

Ezra tried not to revel in his masquerade as "Kay" but managed to shrug his shoulders.

"Perhaps another time. I will not have Lord Rayne be made a fool by anyone," he remarked airily.

The clerk bowed meekly and stepped aside so that Kay could leave the gallery. Once alone, she yanked out a small flask from behind the desk and took a quick gulp of the contents.

A-A-A

Nearly half a mile from Haven's Glow, Ezra plugging the chip into a communications hub. The cool night air that fanned his face was welcomed as he waited for a response. He had audio but not visual contact, which was preferable in this instance. Keeping the faces of the Rebellion hidden would be safer for now.

After some static crackling in the background, Chopper's chirping response came through. "Cute serving droids? How should I know?" Ezra was exasperated.

Chopper gurgled mockingly while Ezra urged him to accept the data. The astro-mech whistled with glee when it arrived.

"But can you decode it?" Ezra hissed in annoyance.

"The security codes are more complicated than we expected," Hera's voice responded. After a few whistles, Chopper grumbled in the negative.

"He says that the list has been encrypted to protect the names of the guests. If the program detects a hacker attempting to open the list, an automatic precaution will activate and erase everything."

"But that means the list will be gone!" Ezra exclaimed in frustration.

"Not if we back-pedal," Hera assured him. "The Rebellion has recruited its own hackers as well. Between them and Chopper, we should be able to extract the list carefully without triggering an alarm. In the meantime, keep your ears open about any more bombing threats. We don't want people thinking this is all the Rebellion's doing."

"There's a guest staying at Haven's Glow named Baron Veld Sparr," Ezra added. "He's been trying to convert his entire company's stock into credits. Chopper should dig up anything he can find on him."

"Hmmm." Hera's voice was a soft purr through the speakers. "The black market for hand-to-hand combat weapons has been going through the roof. It sounds as if someone is trying to stir up trouble that has nothing to do with the Empire or the Rebellion. But until we know where and when they'll hit next, we can't take an evasive maneuver."

"Did you see Senator Organa's speech on the holo-net?"

"We did indeed and have been in contact with him. He's trying to keep Alderan from entering this impending fight but people are angry, especially when the threats are so close to them."

"I hope they'll listen to him," Ezra added. His eyes suddenly felt hot and itchy and he rubbed at them with his fingertips.

"You sound tired. This is a big mission you undertook, Ezra."

"It has been a busy day," he admitted.

"You're doing a fine job," Hera complimented him. "Zeb and Sabine give you their best and Commander Sato looks forward to seeing you at the debriefing. How are Kanan and Tamar?"

"Great. Hopefully we'll be able to wrap things up in a few days."

"Take care of yourself, Ezra. Goodnight."

Hera's warm voice followed Ezra all the way back to Haven's Glow.

A-A-A

_Haven's Glow, private suite of Lord Joshua Rayne:_

Ezra stepped into his suite, relieved to be away from the blaring lights and noises of the casino.

"Lights," he ordered. Several soft glowing lamps flickered in the room, instantly calming him down. He was sure that a few minutes of Force meditation would help further and Ezra looked forward to performing the stance, allowing his mind and body to wind down for the night.

Ezra kicked off his boots and threw his jacket onto a chair. He rolled his head from one side to another, hearing little snaps and pops vibrate in the back of his neck. He was about to collapse onto the sofa when he heard a woman's voice singing:

_"Loth-cat, Loth-cat, sitting in a tree_

_Come down into my arms_

_Let me pet you gently."_

Ezra whirled around towards the opposite sofa. Purple limbs were arranged upon the white cushions as if posing for an audience. Io propped herself up upon her shoulders and wiggled her fingers at Ezra.

"Poor Kay," she giggled aloud. "You must be exhausted from serving your master all day."

The tension in his shoulders was back. "What are you doing here?" he demanded.

She slowly rose to a sitting positon. "I was lonely so I came to see you," Io replied.

Ezra's heart nearly skipped a beat. "How did you get inside?"

"Protocol droids are lovely things. They do exactly what you tell them to do."

She smiled at him, but it was not a casual smile. There was something heated in her eyes, some other emotion brewing beneath her words. Warning hummed in Ezra's ears.

"I don't think I want to see you after you were rude to Tamar this morning," he said finally.

Io waved a hand through the air. "I did not mean any harm," she replied airily. "Please do not be angry with me, Kay."

"You can make it right by apologizing to her."

"Your legendary 'Tamar' is busy downstairs with your master, isn't she?" Io asked in silky voice. "And I am here with you now."

"You shouldn't be here. The baron—"

"-is away for tonight," she cut him off. "He will not know of my business here. You won't tell him, will you Kay?" Io's eyelids closed halfway and she added tenderly, "My master would be furious if he knew I disobeyed orders."

"Of course not," Ezra assured her. "But you should still go."

She gave a sigh of reluctance but finally rose to her feet. Instead of a dress, she was wore a gold close-fitted blouse that came midriff revealing a patch of violet skin around her slim waist. A gauzy gold skirt swirled around her legs in ripples and folds. Her neck and arms were free of jewelry and she was barefoot yet the effect was not unappealing. On the contrary, Ezra couldn't stop starring at her, at _all_ of her.

Io placed a hand upon her hip. "You don't like me, is that it?" the Twi'lek asked.

"No, that's not it," Ezra insisted. He could feel her eyes not just looking at him, but somehow _on_ him, touching him without making contact. His palms were sweaty while his mouth had become surprisingly dry.

"So you do like me," she added. "I am glad."

Ezra swallowed and struggled to respond. When he said nothing, Io began to move towards him on dainty bare feet. Her skirt swished and skimmed against the ground with every step.

The hum in Ezra's mind was getting stronger and cautioning him that he was on shaky ground. He had to move away from this uncertain circumstance. But his feet were numbed in place and he couldn't help gazing at the sweet alien girl drawing towards him.

She stopped barely inches from Ezra's face, close enough for him to breathe in the scent of soap and perfume radiating off her skin.

He could feel the rich warm aroma pumping itself down into his lungs, filling his veins with newfound energy and his head with dizzy sensations. He wasn't used to these emotions. The strong sensations were overwhelming his mind and body and he could sense the Force surrendering willingly within him, leaving him exposed.

Who was this girl and what was she doing to him? Or rather, what was he doing to himself? It was terrifying and thrilling all at once.

He struggled to keep calm. "We, we shouldn't be doing this," he heard himself say quietly.

"Doing what? This?" She reached up and carefully cupped his cheek with her palm. Ezra's pulse thumped with exhilaration from the warmth of her skin as it cradled his face.

The Twi'lek's eyes grew wide and bright with emotion. "What danger could come from us being together? We are doing nothing wrong."

"Not yet," Ezra murmured weakly.

"Don't be afraid, Kay," Io soothed him. Her thumb brushed over the twin scars on his cheekbone down to his chin, sending a shiver down Ezra's spine.

"I'm not." His voice was barely a whisper.

"Of course you are not. You are brave and nice, the nicest boy I have ever met."

Io rose upon her tiptoes, bringing her face towards Ezra. His heart was banging back and forth against his ribcage as soft breath fanned his face.

"...so very nice..."

He didn't resist. He _couldn't_.

"I like nice men."

Her violet eyes closed and then parted lips touched Ezra's mouth, gently pushing against him. His back instantly arched; electricity tingled through his bones from the thrilling sensation of her kiss. His eyes stung from the touch as his lips instinctively pushed back towards hers.

Io gave a faint sound from the back of her throat that sounded like a content sigh. The hand on Ezra's cheek slid around his shoulder. Instantly his own hands clasped around her waist, holding her securely in place.

Ezra's body nearly cried in protest but finally he mustered the strength to break off the kiss. He could still feel Io's arms draped around his throat with her hands resting at the back of his neck. Her eyes were tilted up to him with warm passion as his own breath came out in frantic gasps.

"I'm sorry," he stammered with flushed cheeks.

She laughed at his words. "I am not. I liked that very much and I think you did as well." One finger playfully traced the curved shell of his ear and she watched his blue eyes sparkle in response. He was already more than halfway under her spell and they both knew it.

She tilted her head again towards him until their foreheads were touching. "What else would you like, Master Kay?" she asked tenderly. "Your desire is mine to fulfill."

He was going to explode or go mad from this enchantment. Something had to yield and it did.

"Ezra," he rasped out loud. "My name. _Say it_."

"Ezra?" she repeated. " _Ehz-rah_." His name unfurled upon a Ryloth tongue with smoke and mystery.

"A beautiful name," Io declared. "For a beautiful boy." She planted a second and then third kiss upon his mouth with approval.

His hands had worked their way up to her shoulders, wrapping around them protectively and holding Io against himself. "You're more beautiful than anything I've ever seen," Ezra confessed.

"Am I?" she teased.

Ezra responded by tilted his head slightly aside and then pressed his lips against hers. Io stood perfectly still, letting Ezra take the lead as he curiously, carefully, let the kiss follow the curve of Io's mouth. She was so soft, so gentle and warm…a living breathing work of art for him to explore and enjoy. With the sound of her tender breathing in his ear and the purple limbs draped around him, Ezra was more than content to let them meld into one as the rest of the world faded away into nothing.

Suddenly, Io placed her hands upon his wrists and firmly removed Ezra's grip from her shoulders. The space between them seemed too wide as she stepped back.

"I must go now," she stated as-a-matter-of-fact. As if they had just having a friendly chat instead of clinging to each other all this time.

Ezra was vaguely aware that his skin was singed with heat. "Now?" he said awkwardly.

"Now." One corner of her mouth pulled up slightly. "I will see you again, though."

"When?"

"Soon, dear Ezra. Very soon."

She walked past him and pressed a button to open the door. Ezra watched her move, still in a daze. Io glanced once over her shoulder and threw him a playful wink. Ezra's heart gave a double-thump.

It was a talisman; a promise that she would keep her word.

"Until next time, Ezra."

He stood there with flushed skin and burning lips for what felt like forever until something snapped in Ezra and he dashed into the refresher, turning the water on as cold as he could. The icy stream was so painful that his teeth began to chatter and he adjusted it back to lukewarm, letting the water beat down on him as his thoughts whirled madly in his head.

" _I'm a nice person, aren't I_?" he thought, viciously scrubbing his skin with a cloth. _"I recruited Tamar, didn't I? I've done everything Kanan told me too, right? I'm the one who stood up for Lady Rowena. I deserve it."_

When his skin had taken as much scouring as possible, Ezra stepped out of the refresher and dried off. He had changed into nightclothes and was rubbing a towel over his head when the doors swung open and Kanan and Tamar entered the room.

They both stepped in their tracks, Tamar's eyes on Ezra and Kanan's head in the same direction. Instantly the teen's ears singed with heat.

"Ezra, were you alone all evening?" Kanan asked curiously.

"Why are you asking?" he heard himself snap. "Don't you trust me?"

"We do trust you," Tamar assured him calmly.

"Then what's going on?"

"There's no need to shout," his mentor assured him.

"What makes you think I wasn't alone?!" Ezra suddenly realized that he _was_ shouting as his face burned with guilt.

Kanan said, "The perfume in this room doesn't belong to Tamar."

Ezra sucked in a sharp breath.

"Io?"

Ezra nearly bit his tongue. "It was just a kiss!" he blurted out.

"Was it?" Tamar questioned.

The padawan's lips twitched in response.

"Ezra, why was Io in this room and why was she kissing you?"

"I, I don't know!" His lungs were on fire, urging him to release everything he was trying to keep pent-up inside. He blurted out, "I may have told her my name."

" _May_ have told her?"

"Just my first name, not my last," he protested.

"Ezra!" Kanan's voice rose up with disapproval. "Do you know how dangerous it is to let your guard down during a mission? Commander Sato chose you for a good reason."

"To wait on you hand and foot? To follow Tamar around!?" Ezra suddenly lashed out. "Why can't I enjoy myself in the meantime?"

A moment of tense silence filled the room. And then Kanan said, "Do you mind giving us a few minutes, Tamar?"

"Not at all. Take your time." She was only too relieved to be away from the conflict and gracefully exited the room. Once she was gone, Kanan gestured to the couch.

"Sit down," Kanan ordered Ezra with sudden sharpness.

"Yes, _master_." The biting sarcasm came out of clenched teeth and Ezra was instantly as angry with himself as he was with Kanan. But he did as he was told.

Kanan removed the visor from his face and lightly pinched the bridge of his nose. When he lifted his face up, Ezra could see the scorched marks that ran across and beneath the Jedi's eyes. Once emerald-green and bright with life, they were now a muted jade tone.

The silence was unbearable. Finally, after Ezra's adrenaline seemed to have reached its peak, Kanan spoke again.

"I know you don't expect me to understand but I _do_ , Ezra. I understand more than you know about letting emotions get the best of you. Even ones that feel so vivid that you'll do anything to hold onto them."

"What are you talking about?"

Kanan rubbed his palms together. "I was a different person before we met on Lothal, the kind who lived for the thrill of the moment and never considered what consequences would follow. I'd see a pretty girl on the street and go after her without a second thought."

He could sense Ezra's inner turbulence, conflict brewing beneath the surface from these words. "I thought you said that the Jedi didn't approve of attachments," Ezra remarked.

Kanan wavered before speaking. "I didn't behave like a Jedi for a long time," he said at last.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

His mentor sighed and ran his hands over his hair. It was a part of Kanan's past that he was not proud of; the memories still stirred up shame and remorse even now. For years he had shunned the teachings of his beloved master and even now, he wondered if Depa Billaba would ever forgive him for how he had behaved.

Yet now Kanan was compelled to tell Ezra the entire truth, no matter how painful it was, if only to protect his apprentice.

"For years I wandered the galaxy and never stayed in one place for too long. I took jobs in various bars, drove people around, and spent weeks in nightclubs trying to hide myself among people. But when you're always on the move and looking out for yourself, you get lonely at times.

"So when a beautiful woman turns up and wants to be friendly with you, that's fine. When she wants something even more, that's great. One thing leads to another and then..." Kanan's voice trailed off.

Ezra frowned. His master, the disciplined and direct Kanan Jarrus, had been a flirt? A womanizer? He found that impossible to comprehend.

"I spent a lot of time with women. Did things with them." The words seemed to scrape the inside of Kanan's throat but he pressed on. "I learned that what seems fun and enjoyable one night can turn bitter the next day. You're like a spice-addict who constantly needs to feed his cravings because he can't face reality. One day you wake up in a stranger's bedroom without even asking how you got there because you stopped caring long ago."

"Wait, how many girls are we talking about?" Ezra asked.

Kanan said nothing.

"How many, Kanan?!"

"The truth is that I don't know." Kanan's voice had become quiet and sad when he spoke. "I never bothered to remember their names."

Confusion, bewilderment, and denial. The emotions were swirling swiftly through Ezra and he was struggling to sort them out. Kanan braced himself, waiting Ezra to berate him. He expected Ezra to call him a corrupt man and a hypocrite. He deserved it and would accept rebuke, knowing that the student now had the right to chastise the teacher for not living up to his own teachings.

Let the apprentice be correct before the master this time. _"But for the sake of the Force, don't let him fall like I did_ ," Kanan prayed.

"I don't believe it," Ezra confessed at last. "I _won't_ believe it, Kanan!"

"Search your feelings, Ezra. Why would I lie to you by making up a story?"

"To protect me?"

Kanan smiled softly. "It's nice to know that you still have faith in me."

"I do, Kanan. That's why it's so hard for me to accept it!" Ezra fell back against the cushions, deflated and exhausted. "I saw all those women looking at you in the casino like you were the brightest star in the galaxy. How do you stay focused and disciplined all the time?"

"I'm not in control all the time," his teacher confessed. "It's been a long journey back to the Light Side and I've taken my falls along the way. What I do know is that having you as my apprentice has inspired me become a better person."

There was no doubting the sincerity in Kanan's words and as they seeped into Ezra, he could feel the tension of the day dissolving away beneath the forgiving and guiding hand of the Force.

"What changed you?" Ezra said at last.

"Hera changed everything," said Kanan. "Other women wanted to be swept off their feet but Hera wanted someone who could stand by her side. I admired her spunk and accepted her mission, thinking we would have fun among the stars. The more I got to know her, the more I respected and admired her character. She was brave, sincere, and honest. Hera had all of the qualities that I wanted to see within myself.

"I doubted that I could become one of the Jedi that she knew from her childhood. That didn't stop me from fighting through my fears to earn her trust. Now that I look back, I don't think I could have made it this far without Hera's guidance."

Ezra thought back to all of the times that he had seen Kanan and Hera together on the Ghost. Despite their bickering moments during the chaos, there was something sincere and loving that he had taken for granted because it was always there when he needed it.

When he had witnessed Kanan and Hera embrace beneath the twilight sun on Chopper Base, just before the terrifying and ill-fated journey to Malachor, Ezra knew that he had witnessed a private and tender moment. It was one of the most beautiful and harmonious occasions he had seen in his life and he wondered inside if he would ever experience something like that for himself.

A faint smile appeared across Kanan's face. "Has my past driven you away from the Rebellion yet, Tamar?"

"You'll have try harder if you want to rile me up, Master Jedi." She was standing in the doorway, looking relaxed to be out of her taffeta dress and in cotton blue pajamas. Now she entered the room with a tray of tea things and set it down upon a marble table. "It's actually refreshing to know that you possess flaws like the rest of us."

Her comment smoothed away the last of Ezra's frustrations. Whatever sort of man Kanan had been in the past, it didn't matter now. His master had gone through flame and fire to fight for the just cause. Ezra knew that in spite of the obstacles before and between them, he still wanted to be as brave and righteous as Kanan Jarrus, Jedi Knight.

Tamar smoothed everything along further by preparing tea. She lightly touched Kanan's wrist before placing the cup into his right hand; she was a fast learner.

"I remember my first crush," she told Ezra. "It was one the clones who was guarding our sector after the fires. He offered to help rebuild my garden and I kept turning him down because I didn't think that a trained-from-birth soldier knew anything about holding a spade."

"What happened?"

"He was persistent. I was annoying. We finally ate melons and laughed together. Then he helped me dig a new garden and he left Ryloth with a new name given to him by his comrades: Thorne."

Tamar then addressed Kanan. "I'm sure you had a first crush too, Kanan. Surely there must have been someone you were fond of, hmm?"

"Well," he paused. Something like embarrassment crossed his features. "It was nothing."

"Who?" Now Ezra was fully attentive.

"I'd rather not talk about it."

"Oh, but we'd rather hear about it," Tamar grinned with glee.

"Promise you won't laugh," Kanan warned. They agreed.

"It was one of our teachers from Corsucant, Senator Amidala."

"Who was she?"

"A semi-competent politician and adequate orator," Tamar replied. "Excellent taste in fashion."

"She was one of the best dignitaries during the Clone Wars," Kanan went on. "When she wasn't traveling on behalf of the Republic, Senator Amidala instructed the Jedi younglings in the Republic's history and politics."

Tamar keyed in some codes and the hologram of a young woman rose up from the table. She was an elegant petite lady in purple and silver robes, her dark hair twisted into an ornate bun and decorated with silver combs. The senator's brown eyes sparkled with liveliness and her voice was sweet and clear as she spoke, radiating confidence with every word that left her lips.

 _"...approval to initiate a cease-fire immediately,"_ Senator Amidala declared. _"The liberty of the citizens must be protected and with the Republic's guidance..."_

"That's a politician?" Ezra was surprised. He thought they were all dreary-looking bored people. But the the tiny hologram revealed to him a person of optimism and courage, a woman brimming with life and the hopes of a bright future for all people in the galaxy.

"She's beautiful," he said at last. "But Kanan, if she was your teacher and you were a 'youngling' back then-"

"I know," Kanan insisted. "I told you it was nothing!"

Ezra found himself grinning away. "You liked her, huh?"

"We all did," Kanan said in his defense. "She was especially kind and patient with us. But once you saw her in the Senate, she could be downright relentless, even scary at times. Senator Amidala never backed down from a fight."

"I like bureaucrats as much as I like mud-storms," Tamar declared. "But I will give Senator Amidala credit for working as hard as she did during the Clone Wars. Millions of lives were sparred thanks to her council and judgement."

"What happened to her?" Ezra asked.

Tamar read the rest of the transcript and her voice fell with sadness. "She died of internal hemorrhaging shortly after the Empire was founded."

"She had dedicated her life to the greater good of the Republic," said Kanan. "There was nothing Senator Amidala wouldn't do to keep peace and order in the universe. I can't help but think that when the Republic finally fell, the life drained out of her."

Ezra found it hard to believe that such a remarkable woman didn't have someone by her side. "And she never had a family of her own?"

"I know all about being married to your work but that doesn't stop people from having meaningful relationships," Tamar pointed out. "Maybe she had someone she was fond of but her politician connections didn't approve of the match. Or she had to balance out a private and public life and that put too much strain on her towards the end of her life.

"Whatever the reason, her tomb remains one of the most safeguarded places on Naboo. Not even the Empire would dare to lay a finger upon it or Amidala's legacy."

She noticed that Ezra had been holding his teacup all this time without taking a sip. He just stared into it and sighed.

"You look like you could use some rest," suggested Tamar.

"Yeah. Uh, I think I'll go to bed." Ezra put down his cup and left the room.

Tamar waited until the door was closed to speak with Kanan. "He's smitten," she concluded.

"I know."

"What do we do?" Tamar asked.

Kanan stroked his beard in thought. "What do you think we should do?"

"Give me five minutes alone with Io and I'll slap some sense into her."

"I meant Ezra."

"Oh." It was Tamar's turn to ponder the situation. "I'm not at all pleased to see how limited our options are but if we come down too hard on Ezra, he might do something rash."

"I was thinking the same thing. At this point, guidance and advice is the best we can do. And just trust that he'll do the right thing."

"We could lock him in his room for the rest of the mission."

The Jedi smiled in her direction. "Do you always take such a direct approach?"

"I only take the time to annoy people I care about." Tamar drained her cup. "More tea?"

"Yes, thank you." Tamar refilled their cups and basked in the pleasant tranquility of the hotel room.

"Padme Amidala was a special woman, wasn't she?"

"One of the most remarkable people I've ever known," Kanan agreed.

A-A-A

" _If Senator Amidala was important to Kanan then I should learn more about her,_ " thought Ezra. He repeated the mantra to himself as he got into bed, turned off the lights, and starred at the ceiling.

But when he closed his eyes, it was not the elegant senator who materialized in his mind but a small Twi'lek with fragrant lips and a soft laugh that stirred a tremor through his limbs. He kept trying to push the thoughts away but they trickled back like water droplets, ever-so-subtle yet detectable.

Ezra began to toss and turn in his bed fretfully. It was going to be a very long night.

A-A-A

Author's notes: The names on the cipher-roulette balls are Greek in origin. Rowena is inspired by a heroine from Sir Walter Scott's "Ivanhoe". "Rimon" is Hebrew for pomegranate.


	3. Chapter 3

"I hope there's nothing wrong with Lord Rayne," Count Caswell admitted to Tamar. She looked up from the tray of breakfast foods that she had been filling in a nook of the morning pavilion. The lack of her eloquent master and his devout servant had been noticed by the count.

Tamar smiled at him with assurance. "My master is sleeping off a mild hangover from last night. Kay is tending to him as we speak."

Caswell brightened up from her words. "I'm glad to know it isn't anything serious. Please tell your master that I hope he makes a quick recovery."

"I will."

He slid towards her a glass pitcher of ruby-red juice. "Komera-tea is rich in antioxidants and should set Lord Rayne back on his feet in no time."

Tamar thanked him profusely and added a glass of juice to her tray. She picked it up and was about to walk out of the room when Io approached her. The smaller Twi'lek's hands were clasped behind her back but her chin remained tilted up to Tamar with more than a hint of insolence.

"Yes?" Tamar asked.

"I have come to apologize for my words earlier on," said Io flatly. "Sorry." Her tone was dull and without empathy, underlying that she was there merely out of duty and had addressed Tamar with great reluctance. A protocol droid could have made a better apology than Io.

Nevertheless, Tamar knew it was better than nothing. "Your apology is accepted," she responded politely.

"Good. Now go fetch Ezra," Io announced. Seeing Tamar's surprise, she went on sweetly. "Didn't you know Lord Rayne's manservant was using an alias? Young master 'Kay' must not trust you after all."

Tamar plastered an equally sweet smile upon her face. "Lord Rayne alternates the names of his servants as he wishes so yes, I know that his manservant currently answers to 'Ezra' as well as 'Kay'. I myself went by 'Rosemary' for three months as Lord Rayne demanded it."

She made a mental note to thank Kanan for the excuse that would surely hold up as the request of an eccentric wealthy man.

Io didn't seem to care one way or another for this validity. "Whatever. Tell Ezra I must speak to him now," she demanded.

"Of course dear," Tamar said brightly. "Would you mind holding this until I return?" She pushed the heavy tray into Io's hands and then headed towards the door.

Tamar hadn't taken more than three steps when there was a sickening _CRASH_ behind her. She whipped around to see a mess of food and broken dishes scattered at Io's feet. As no harm was done to the other guests, they merely glanced at the source of the noise before going back to their business. The serving droids had already swooped in to clean up the mess.

Io's lavender eyes widened innocently at Tamar.

"It slipped," she explained.

A-A-A

Far from being intoxicated or fatigued, Kanan was already on his feet and performing Form Two alongside Ezra in their suite. Instead of sparring with their lightsabers, the master performed the maneuvers with open palms while his student attempted to mimic his motions.

"Don't try to copy me," Kanan advised Ezra.

Crouched in a fighting position, Ezra stopped long enough to wipe his wrist across his forehead. "Then how am I going to get Makashi right?"

"The more you focus on what I'm doing, the less you'll be able to protect yourself in battle. Concentrate on your own motions by listening to your body," Kanan advised him. "Let it move with the Force around you and the Makashi will direct your hands and feet into the proper pose."

Ezra stood up and shook out his feet to get his circulation going. Then he took a deep breath out. The padawn drew his arm behind himself, let it rotate into a circle, and then swiped it through the air on a diagonal. His master looked on approvingly.

"Good. Very good."

Kanan went from a fighting pose to a standing one even before Tamar had entered the room. But once he was aware that they were safe among friends, he directed Ezra back into the Makashi while Tamar looked in with interest.

"That looks complicated," she said.

"Makashi Riposte is a defensive maneuver that changes the angle of an opponent's attack," explained Kanan.

"Good to know in case the cleaning droids turn on us." Tamar told Ezra why she had come back and he instantly shook his head.

"Why not?" Kanan asked Ezra.

"After last night, I should stay as far away from Io as possible. I thought you'd agree."

"I don't trust her," his master said slowly. "But she might get suspicious if you don't show up."

Tamar pursed her lips up with concern for a moment. "You should be safe if you stick to the public promenade," she said at last. "Hopefully Io won't do anything to disgrace herself or her master out in the open. But just in case she does try something foolish, I want you to grab onto her lekku and yank hard."

"Why?" Ezra asked curiously.

"Sensitive membranes in the nervous system. It can temporarily distort balance and concentration for Twi'leks."

Ezra carefully shrugged into his jacket. "Will it hurt?"

"Agonizingly yes. But keep it in mind for a last resort."

"Okay," Ezra relented at last. "I'll talk to her. But that's all." He laced up his boots and headed out the door.

Kanan's intuition was aware that Tamar didn't approve any more than Ezra did. "Like you said, they're out in the open and surrounded by adults. Hopefully Io won't try another move like last night."

" _Or break out into a slave-dance,"_ Tamar cringed inwardly.

A-A-A

Io had been fiddling with one of the glass ornaments in the lobby but instantly put it down when she saw Ezra. Her face brightened up like a child being given a sweet and she swiftly walked towards him.

"You came. I am glad."

"I'm here. What do you want?" he demanded.

Io blinked calmly, unfazed by his aloofness. "You don't sound pleased to see me at all, Ezra."

"My name isn't Ezra. It's Kay," he insisted.

Io closed her eyes and her dark lashes cast half-moon shadows across her cheeks. "I know that Ezra is your real name," she murmured quietly. "Your eyes light up whenever I say it. I would like to do many nice things to see that beautiful blue light in your eyes again."

Ezra's tongue was a lead weight in his mouth and he was hoping that she would _-please for the sake of the Force stop talking like that-_ finish the conversation and leave him alone.

He swallowed to get his voice going again. "About last night," Ezra began. "I think it's a good idea if we don't tell anyone what happened."

"A secret?" Io's eyes opened. "Yes, of course. I have no interest in telling anyone. Not that there will be anyone to tell," she added.

"What do you mean?"

She looked almost sad. "The baron has concluded his business at Haven's Glow. We are leaving shortly."

Ezra was inwardly relieved to hear it. "Oh. Well, I hope that you have a nice trip."

"Will you miss me, Ezra?"

Io held his gaze in her lavender eyes and Ezra felt heat creep across his cheekbones. He quickly glanced at the carpet so that she wouldn't see his flushed expression.

"I thought so," Io said.

"I don't think our masters would approve of us being together," he explained feebly.

"What we do in privacy is none of our masters' concern." One corner of Io's mouth turned up. "Perhaps someday you will be my new master and I will serve under you. Wouldn't you like that?"

"No," said Ezra a little too quickly.

 _"Yes",_ hummed a tiny voice inside him.

"You lie," Io responded softly. "I know that you would enjoy it very much."

"You don't know anything about me," Ezra blurted out.

She chuckled in response. "I know your name. That is all I require for now."

"Io! The ship is leaving." Baron Sparr was standing at the exit doors and waving a hand towards hers. Io nodded to her master and then turned back to Ezra for the final time. She pressed her fingers to her mouth and blew him a kiss from across her palm.

"Adieu, _mon cher."_

Bewildered and dazed, Ezra watched her small figure walk across the hotel lobby and follow her master out of the door.

A-A-A

_1 hour later:_

"Nothing else to report on Lord Rayne?" Baron Sparr demanded.

Io's lekku swayed as she shook her head. "Nothing, master. He poses no threat to you."

"That is fortunate for us. I take it you and the manservant got along well."

She sighed with contentment. "His kisses taste like the sky."

"I was not aware that the sky had a taste," he remarked.

"Oh, it does, master. It does."

They had reached the gangplank where an armed droid was standing at the foot of the luxury ship-cruiser. Baron Sparr showed the droid a key card and the droid automatically stepped aside, allowing master and servant to board the ship.

"Just keep your sky-tasting kisses to yourself and follow the instructions," Sparr ordered Io.

"Yes, master." She made herself comfortable on a pile of cushions in the ship's lounge and stroked the ferns of a potted plant. The ship exited the landing pad outside Haven's Glow and within minutes was soaring into the depth of space, cutting through the blackness and stars so smoothly that Io soon nodded off. It continued on its journey with the speed and grace expected of such a valuable ship for nearly two hours until it descended down towards a small foggy moon.

" _We are approaching the drop-off point_ ," the droid announced.

Io yawned and lazily got to her feet. She followed her master out of the ship and down the gangplank. The air was muggy and it pressed itself viciously up against the skin of the two travelers while thick fog swirled across the ground. Standing at the end of the platform were several smugglers, shuffling cards and stacking boxes of goods.

A few of them eyed Io with interest and she smiled back at them unabashed. The leader ignored her and walked straight up to Sparr. "About time you got here," he declared hotly.

"You shouldn't have contacted me so close to Haven's Glow," Sparr chastised him.

"Yeah? While you're having fun with all those hobnobs, my men and I are breaking sweat just trying to get the deliveries moved," he snarled. "I think it's time we asked for a raise."

Despite the humidity and rising tension around him, Sparr didn't even appear to be perspiring. "My offer remains the same," he remarked calmly. "One third payment now and two thirds when you have completed the mission."

"Yeah? Well the offer has changed. Empire's been getting twitchy in this sector and we'll need more to bribe the officials."

"Then make a receipt of your expenses and send it to me _afterwards_ ," Sparr insisted crisply. "Not a credit more until the job is done."

The smuggler glared at him. "Why so tightfisted?"

"Dangerous times, my friend. I have to protect my assets."

"Our assets, dammit! We're the ones breaking our backs out there in hyperspace!" he snapped. He whipped out a blaster and aimed it between the baron's eyes. Io's eyes widened inquisitively and the other smugglers looked edgy. Sparr remained aloof as ever.

"Put that thing down before you poke someone's eye out," he said calmly. "Otherwise your five women in three different sectors will have to find a new boyfriend."

The smuggler's eyes widened with alarm. "How did you—" His question fell silent as he turned aside and saw Io, who was sitting atop of one of the crates and wiggling her fingers impishly at him.

"Your Twi'lek is a little fink," he fumed at Sparr.

"That 'fink' sleeps on satin sheets every night because she remains loyal to me. Where do you sleep?" Sparr asked.

"With Wookies!" Io exclaimed, giggling aloud. The other smugglers couldn't resist snickering along and Baron Sparr allowed himself a tiny smirk of satisfaction.

He knew that their ringleader was desperate for respect as much as he desired money. He couldn't tolerate being humiliated in front of his men and now that they were well-aware of his frustrations, he quickly realized that he had nothing to bargain with. The blaster wavered in his hand and as his gaze could not meet the level-headed stare of Sparr, he lowered it down reluctantly.

"Satin sheets sound good to me too," he muttered at last.

"Of course they do." Sparr patted him on the shoulder. "I have your one third in untraceable credits right here. As soon as I hear that your delivery makes it to Alderaan safely, the remainder of your payment will be transferred into an anonymous account."

He opened a briefcase of shiny stacked credits for the smuggler to see. The ringleader quickly took it from Sparr and snapped it shut again. "No questions asked?"

"No questions asked," Sparr nodded. "Io, time to go."

She hopped down from the crate and trailed after her master back into the ship. It departed as smoothly as it had landed. The cool ventilated air inside instantly fanned away any traces of unpleasantness that the humidity of the moon may had left on them. A serving droid wheeled forward and eloquently offered them a tray of chilled drinks. Io gulped hers down thirstily while Sparr merely sipped at his wine.

Io placed her empty glass back on the tray. "Nasty people," she mumbled sourly.

"Poor thing," her master declared sympathetically. "It's been a rough few weeks for you, hasn't it?"

"Talking to five girlfriends is annoying."

"I'm sure it is." The baron settled himself comfortably into a black leather chair. "Which is why I think you deserve a new treat." Watching Io's eyes brighten with glee he added, "What would you like?"

"I want Ezra," she announced at once.

"The dual-named manservant?" Io's head nodded eagerly.

His dark brows knotted from her request. "I thought you wanted five hundred credits and six Keshmeer scarves," Sparr said slowly.

"I changed my mind."

The baron leaned back in his chair and locked his fingers together, lost in thought for a moment. "It is an intriguing request. But Lord Rayne has done nothing to deserve my disapproval."

"He has done nothing to earn your approval," Io spoke softly.

"Point taken." He remained in a silent pose for several moments while Io held her breath with anticipation. Finally, he sat back up. "All right. But remain discreet and untraceable. The last thing I want is the I.S.B breathing down my neck."

Io nodded eagerly. "Of course, master. I will be quiet as a dove."

He rose and patted her cheek. "I'll see about making preparations. Go have fun."

"Yes, master. Thank you." She skipped out of the room and down the hallway. Io entered her private chambers and made straight away to her closet. Once she had shut the door behind her and was aware that she was alone, Io removed all of her clothing. She took a few minutes to examine herself in the four mirrors, admiring the endless row of purple girls that moved in synch with herself as well as the little dips and curves of her own body.

There were powerful people in the Empire who controlled enormous machines, oversaw planets and engineered dangerous weapons. They could have their enemies murdered with a snap of their fingers. They had wealth, influence, armies, allies, and state-of-the-art droids to accomplish their goals.

Io was perfectly content to be unarmed. Her looks and charms were all the weapons that she required. They had been honed for years beneath her master's instructions and now all it took was a tilt of the head or the batting of eyelashes to have someone eating out of her hand. Soon her master's tedious planning would pay off and he reassured her that he would become even wealthier and more powerful than ever. Soon she would have that handsome blue-eyed boy wrapped around her little finger.

She grabbed a pillow and hugged it to her chest, giggling aloud. What a treat he would be in bed! His shyness attested to his lack of experience but that only made him more desirable to her. Io was confident that he would catch up fast, especially beneath her guiding hand. She couldn't wait to be curled up against that young lithe body. To sweeten the bargain, she would turn him from serving that annoyingly aloof blind man and his arrogant blue Twi'lek towards serving the baron. Master would be quite pleased, oh yes.

Io sang softly to herself while she removed a white nightgown trimmed with silver brocade from her closet. She dressed with care, taking the time to admire herself in the mirrors. Ezra would wholeheartedly approve.

She crept into her bed and snuggled comfortably between the sheets. Within moments Io was fast asleep. The smile on her lips appeared so innocent that any onlooker would think she was a harmless child dreaming of flowers and stardust.

A-A-A

_Imperial Security Bureau, 12 hours later:_

"Untraceable credits, my ass," growled the head smuggler.

Okay, so maybe he shouldn't have deposited them all at once. But this was _definitely_ Sparr's fault somehow. The fact that the rest of his gang hadn't been arrested and were no doubt heading to Alderaan only fueled his anger further as he starred at the unflappable pale face of Agent Kallus from across the table.

"Your recent transaction sent up a red flag," the Imperial agent explained calmly. "I want to know what you are planning."

"I don't know," he snapped. "I swear, honestly. I just ship the goods, that's all. Whatever the endgame is, you'll have to take it up with the Lightning Squad."

"Yes, slippery devils, aren't they?" Kallus murmured. He glanced back at his data pad. "You are Shakar Mylar, current smuggler of the Outer Rim, are you not?"

"I prefer to call myself an independent entrepreneur," Mylar explained quickly.

"And you have nothing else to add to this report?"

Mylar sealed his lips in defiance.

"Agent Kallus, we have an interrogation room prepared," the officer over his shoulder replied.

Kallus waved a hand impatiently through the air. "Thank you, officer. That will be unnecessary for now. I will call you should I need it." The officer left reluctantly, disappointed that he wouldn't be able to electrocute anyone for the day.

Mylar wet his lips abruptly. "Interrogation?" he croaked out.

" _A crack in his armor,"_ Kallus thought. There was no need to resort to messy tactics when the right motivation could inspire criminals to cooperate. He kept his gaze upon Mylar's face, waiting for the man to confess anything else.

"Look, I work separately from the Lightning Squad. I don't know anything about the attacks on Terrance Square or why they're focused on Alderaan," he confessed quickly. "I was paid one-third now and promised two-thirds later. My men are already dropping and out of hyperspace randomly so they can't be tracked."

"That is not good," Kallus warned him. He keyed in something on his data pad and then held it up for Mylar to see. "Do you know who this is?"

Tamar gave Mylar a beautiful smile from the holo-photo.

He shook his head. "She's hot. I'd remember a face like that."

"Pity." Kallus put the data pad back down upon the table.

"I saw another Twi'lek on the docks," Mylar babbled on. Curiosity piqued, Kallus glanced up. "Smaller. Purple. Pretty, but kinda young."

Kallus rose and placed both hands upon the table. He leaned across until his face was barely inches from Mylar. "Tell me everything you know about this 'purple' one."

Within the hour he had the data work finalized and would have Mylar released with only a heavy fine. His inferior officers were startled and Kallus found himself annoyed as he explained to them that arresting a mere smuggler would be a waste of space in an Imperial prison, especially one who would be more useful if he was back on the streets and feeding information back to them.

Soon Agent Kallus was back on Kaller and making his way to the nearly-invisible café. Tamar's image reappeared in his mind and he forced himself to brush it aside, almost as irritated with himself as he was with the lack of results. Stepping carefully down the staircase, his presence was noted in the room and the other customers quickly became quiet and made way for him to move. Two engineers immediately got up from their seats, allowing Agent Kallus the full table to himself.

No sooner had he sat down than a chipper Twi'lek was by his side. Her skin was the color of emeralds and she had a beaming smile on her face. "Hello! How are you?" she asked cheerily.

Her optimistic attitude didn't waver in the face of the authority and it was unnerving to Kallus. He ignored her question and replied stiffly, "I am here to speak with Tamar Ily'an."

"Tamar's away on business," Nava explained. She placed a fresh pot of kaff on the table along with a ceramic mug.

"Do you know when she will return?" he asked slowly.

Nava shook her head and rattled off a string of words. "Nope, sorry. Kaff should still be good as ever. What would you like to eat? We've got some basker-buns and honey if you like."

"No thank you." Before he could resist, Kallus' hand was already pouring out the kaff and the aroma of a freshly-brewed drink was almost intoxicating. He reminded himself that the surge of caffeine was why he was here and he took the time to drink half a cup, enjoying it far more than he intended to.

Seeing that Nava was still waiting by his side eagerly, Kallus put down the cup. "Are you Tamar's little sister?" he inquired.

"No. I'm Tamar's employee. She hired me after I used to dance for Zora the Hutt," Nava explained. Interpreting the Imperial officer's silence as approval to keep talking, her tongue quickly loosened up. She knew it was a bad habit and Tamar had told her not to talk to Imperials, but he wasn't a stormtrooper. He might even be considered handsome if he smiled.

"It was all right but I like working for Tamar a lot better," Nava went on. "She's nicer and makes sure that we all get enough sleep and food. And of course she's much prettier than a Hutt!"

"Ah." Agent Kallus had nothing else to say on this subject.

"It wasn't so bad working for Zora except my feet were tired from dancing for hours..."

Noticing her friend chattering away to the Imperial officer, Miri quickly tried to intervene. "Nava," she protested. But the young green-skinned Twi'lek went on.

"You know how some dancers have to go into mens' rooms for the night? Zora didn't want me doing that because he said I could get a disease so I was only allowed to dance and the men were only allowed to look at me without touching…"

"Nava!"

"I didn't even have to take off all my clothes—"

"NAVA!"

She turned towards Miri, puzzled at her friend's mortified face. "What? Oh. I did it again, didn't I? I'm sorry." She shuffled her feet awkwardly. "But he's such a good listener!" Nava exclaimed, pointing at Agent Kallus.

Miri tried to avoid looking at Agent Kallus, who remained in stony silence with an uncomfortable redden face. "Go check on the buns," she ordered Nava quietly. Nava meekly went into the back of the café.

Agent Kallus coughed to clear his throat. "That was...unexpected," he replied dryly.

"Please excuse Nava, sir. She's only sixteen and doesn't know any better," Miri begged.

"Is her story true?" Miri nodded. Agent Kallus frowned with disapproval. "What do her parents say?"

Miri wiped the table with a cloth. "Nava doesn't have any. She was born and raised off Ryloth and has no recollection of her family."

Kallus was perplexed. "No files? No records?"

"None. Before she worked for Zora, she was employed in Senator Ming's kitchen. Nava remembers nothing before that."

It was an unfortunate reality in the age of the Empire: Twi'lek children born and raised in captivity. Their vulnerability made them easier to mold into slaves and entertainers in their masters' hands. Theses brothers and sisters of Ryloth had no recollections of their past and knew nothing of a family kalikori or a mother's goodnight kiss.

Miri thought it was beastly yet she knew Nava's life could have been worse than catering to the whims of Zora the Hutt. His cousin Jabba had a far more brutal and disgusting reputation. Rumors were that Jabba's slaves danced around half-naked in chains and were fed to his creatures if they dared disobey him.

Miri stopped cleaning the table and forced herself to look back at Agent Kallus. "Is that why you are here, Agent? Has Nava done something wrong?"

"I am here because I think that Tamar Ily'an may be involved in the recent attacks."

The pale-blue Twi'lek straightened up at once. "She wouldn't. Tamar wouldn't dare!" she insisted.

Agent Kallus raised his hands in a gesture of ease. "I am not here to make false accusations, young lady. I am here to discover the truth. Where is Tamar Ily'an?"

Miri remained a pillar of blue ice, silent and stiff from the question.

Agent Kallus lowered his voice. "You're all devoted to Tamar, aren't you? Make no mistake, if you are harboring a criminal then your loyalties are misguided."

"Tamar is no criminal," she whispered between trembling lips.

Agent Kallus pressed on. "I have information about various smugglers who are working with the Lightning Squad to send out weapons and goods towards Alderaan."

Miri said nothing. Agent Kallus keyed in something on his data pad and showed it to her. Io's image flickered on the screen next to Baron Sparr. "Do you know these people?"

She shook her head. "I don't recognize the girl. The man, he's an aristocrat from Corsacant, I think."

"You are correct."

"Tamar wouldn't work with anyone involved in shady business," Miri insisted.

"What about the Rebellion?"

The question struck her to the core and even her lekku were twitching fearfully. Agent Kallus leaned closer and whispered, "I believe that your employer is a loyal citizen of the Empire and want to prove Tamar's innocence as much as you do. But I cannot protect her if you are withholding information from me. Why do you persist in holding back?"

Miri twisted the cloth between her fingers. "I don't trust you," she confessed softly.

"You have my word," Kallus reassured her.

"The word of an Imperial officer means—" She suddenly cut herself off and pinched her lips together.

Agent Kallus expected her to ask him to leave. While that would violate Imperial protocol, technically she had permission to request him to depart and he would be considered trespassing on their property.

He sighed and rose to his feet. Agent Kallus hadn't even reached for his data pad when Miri murmured, "Haven's Glow. Tamar went to Haven's Glow. That's all I know."

His gaze met hers and Miri was startled. It was the look of someone who was staring into her eyes, attempting to communicate with her as a person, as a peer.

Agent Kallus gave her a knowing nod. "I'll do everything I can to keep Tamar's name out of this."

His voice remained cool but polite as he spoke the words, causing hope to blossom within Miri's chest. Before she could stop herself she added, "Thank you."

"If I may ask for one small favor." Agent Kallus' attention drifted back to the table. "A thermos of your kaff."

Miri nodded politely. "For the service of the Empire," she assured him, quoting as Tamar always did when one was in a difficult pinch. She rushed to the back kitchen and poured the kaff into a tall canister before sealing it airtight. Then she handed it to Hogarth who said, "I sure hope you know what you're doing."

"Me too," Miri agreed. Hogarth took the thermos from her and brought it to Agent Kallus.

Miri has only begun to reach for another pitcher when she felt a cold sharp pain stabbing her in the chest as if she had swallowed an icicle. The sensation caused her knees to buckle and she sank to the floor, wrapping her arms around her rib cage.

"No," she whispered frantically. "Not again."

The chilled touch rapidly worked its way through her skin, spreading outwards to the rest of her body and into her bones. Miri closed her eyes and rocked back and forth, reeling from the frigid impression.

"Please...please..." she begged to the empty air around her.

A knot of tension had formed beneath her ribcage and no matter how tightly she hugged herself, it remained lodged within her and festering away. Images were swirling in Miri's head, faces of people that she knew materializing in her mind. Unable to restrain herself anymore, Miri let the cold rush into every fiber and nerve of her body, saturating her being until it delivered itself in a single note.

"Danger," the cold whispered. " _Danger_."

"Who?" she whispered back. "Who is in danger?" Instantly she thought of Tamar and Ezra's face followed. A touch of warmth emerged from within the cold when Miri thought of her friends but was swiftly chased away, replaced by the image of a man lying on the ground.

 _He's crouched on the ground and the cell is chilled and dark._ _There's a gash on his face…blood drips off his skin. He can't see anything but he can smell their sweat and spice nearby…_

"Master Jarrus?" Miri asked aloud. There was no doubting the man she had seen, the one who was Ezra's teacher.

The image disappeared as soon as it had formed, leaving Miri shivering and shaken to the touch. She reached out and grabbed the counter, straining with all of her might to pull herself to her feet. Never before had she wished so badly that Tamar or Ezra were here. But they were gone and Kanan Jarrus—

He was the one who had rescued them all from arrest on Iolanthe. They owed him everything for his courageous actions. It was the motivation that Miri needed as she shoved her fears into the back of her mind and made her way to Tamar's private safe.

She typed in a code and quickly emptied out the cash box.

A-A-A

_Haven's Glow:_

In a darkened room filled with eager listeners, Ezra was among the many guests who were taking advantage of the Neo-Classic orchestra that had now launched itself into the infamous symphony known as "The Ballad of Quor-lak". Ezra didn't mind the music except it was so pleasant and lulling. He was so comfortable in his wide velvety chair that he had to blink and pinch himself to stay awake. Kay would never allow himself to fall asleep and drool on his master's jacket.

"Lord Rayne, would you please follow me to the lobby?"

Ezra's head jerked to attention when the clerk had tapped Kanan on the shoulder and whispered into his ear. Kanan rose to his feet, allowing Ezra to guide him and Tamar to hold their programs as they left the concert hall and headed towards the lobby. Adjusting his eyes back to the brighter lights at the front of the hotel, Ezra instantly detected a more frigid tone in the clerk's voice.

"Counterfeit?" Tamar nearly blurted out.

"We have reason to believe that the credits that Lord Rayne deposited into his account from the casino are not in good status," the clerk declared.

"I am sure that this is all just a misunderstanding," Kanan said, unshaken by the accusation. "If you would pull up my records, I can testify that all transactions are perfectly legal."

"Nevertheless, I insist that you be removed from Haven's Glow promptly. You will be permitted to return as soon as everything is in order."

Ezra sucked in a sharp breath. Before he could find words to speak, two armed guards had appeared beside each of Kanan's shoulders.

"What are you doing?" he demanded. "Get your hands off my master!"

He took a step forward and felt Tamar's hand on his shoulder. "Keep it calm," she hissed into his ear. "We show panic, they'll turn on us at once."

Ezra looked from her to the face of his master, somehow still calm and just as noble as ever in the guise of Lord Rayne. Never before had he wanted to see the reassuring green gaze of Kanan's eyes. But even with the visor on his face, Kanan gave him a knowing smile.

"Don't worry. You two stay here and I should be back soon." He allowed himself to be escorted out of the lobby and into a side room.

"As for you two," the clerk now turned on Tamar and Ezra as if they were a few insects that had crawled into the hotel. "I cannot permit the servants of a questionable guest to remain here."

Two further guards appeared, one of which grabbed Ezra by the elbow. He started to struggle but noticed Tamar, her features cold and hard, shaking her head at him. As easily as it would be to use the Force to throw one of those ungrateful bumpkins into a wall, Ezra realized that he couldn't risk exposing himself or Tamar at the moment. They were half-pushed, half-shoved towards the exit doors and within seconds, were sent sprawling out onto the steps.

Ezra stumbled yet stayed on his feet but Tamar had fallen down upon her face, lekku pointing in opposite directions and her dress crumpled from impact. A few guests loitering outside snickered at her demise.

He instantly bent down and placed his hands beneath her elbows. "Are you hurt?"

"Only my pride," Tamar assured him. She allowed him to pull her to her feet and instantly began smoothing her skirt and twitching her head. The lekku fell back into place and Tamar Ily'an remained before him, temporarily shocked but overall unruffled. Realizing that she wasn't hurt, Tamar looked back at the hotel.

"Damn. All of our credits and my jewelry are back inside."

"So we're locked out without any money?"

"It seems that way." Tamar sighed and turned around to face Ezra. "What should we do?"

He was lost for words. Ezra may have been asked to recruit for the mission but he had enjoyed their merry little trio for the past few days. Now that Kanan had been suddenly plucked from the hotel and they had been deposited outside, he realized that their possibilities had been severely limited.

"Sounds like someone was in a big hurry to get Lord Rayne out of the way," he said at last. He and Tamar kept talking as they made their way down the rest of the stairs and onto the street.

"We don't know that for certain, Ezra. Haven's Glow prides itself upon a sterling reputation. This could just be their way of dealing with rumors and suspicions."

"Too bad Hogarth isn't here. I'd like him to send those clerks on a flying leap into the trash pile."

Tamar managed a faint smile. "Well, he isn't here. But we are. What are our assets?"

Ezra checked his pockets. He had only a few credits, a minor lock-picker, and two empty data-chips to hold information. Tamar's pocketbook held her gloves and cosmetics. "My earrings might be worth something if we pawned them," she suggested.

"But it wouldn't be enough to get 'Lord Rayne' out of trouble or get us off planet, would it?" Ezra asked. Tamar shook her head at him sadly.

"I could send a transmission to Hera but don't see what good it would do," he went on. "Money will give us time and safety if we can get our hands on some…."

He hadn't taken a step further when Tamar plucked the fabric of his coat with her fingertips. "If you are doing what I think you are doing, then you had better not be!" she suddenly fumed.

"What do you mean?"

Her cool blue eyes darted towards him angrily. "You're going to pickpocket someone, aren't you?"

"Tamar, I know you don't like it but this is Kanan we're talking about," he insisted. "Extracting someone's wallet isn't going to hurt them."

"It will hurt Lord Rayne's reputation further if his manservant is caught stealing."

"I won't get caught," he assured her.

Tamar folded her arms over her chest. "I caught you pilfering in the middle of my club. I won't let you risk doing something so foolish again."

"Won't let me?" Ezra frowned. "I've been in the field a lot longer than you. So unless you have a better idea, this is our best shot."

"I still don't like it."

"We do a lot of things that we're not proud of. Get used to it," Ezra snapped. No sooner had he said the words then Tamar looked on him with a pained expression. The blood that had rushed into his face began draining out.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean that," he admitted. He leaned against the concrete wall and breathed out in frustration. Tamar leaned against the wall right next to him.

"I know. I'm also worried about him," she said quietly. Tamar gently patted Ezra on the shoulder. "We'll find another way."

"You're right." Motivated once more, Ezra stood up and adjusted his collar. "I think the most important thing is to keep our aliases going for as long as we can."

"That sounds logical," she agreed.

"Count Caswell's always been nice to Lord Rayne. Perhaps if we sold your earrings, we could send him a message and ask for help."

Ezra and Tamar had only headed a few blocks away from Haven's Glow when a tall man nearly sliced between them from his swift stride.

"My apologies," he replied briskly. But then he broke his movement when he noticed who was standing before him beneath the street lamps. The droid who had been following behind him suddenly stopped, releasing the faintest sound of gears shifting. Ezra realized that the droid didn't wear the orange badge of Haven's Glow; this droid was the property of the man standing before him.

"Master Kay? Miss Ily'an?" The serious Baron Sparr was staring at Ezra, a trench coat thrown over his shoulders and his gray-streaked hair brushed off his face. "What are you doing out here?" he asked.

 _"Focus,_ " Ezra reminded himself. _"Remain in the game. You're still Kay, devoted manservant to Lord Rayne."_

Tamar had barely parted her lips when Ezra put on his most charming smile and bowed to the baron. "Lord Rayne sent us to find you, baron. I'm glad you decided to return to Haven's Glow."

Confusion appeared on Sparr's face. "You are?"

"Of course. Lord Rayne informed me this morning that he wanted to reconsider your offer to sell him your stock." Ezra took a moment to catch his breath as Kay's words rolled smoothly off his tongue. "But you left in such a hurry that he was unable to contact you in time."

Sparr looked please to hear this. "I am glad Lord Rayne changed his mind."

"And as a token of my master's good will," Ezra went on. "He insisted that Miss Ily'an and I offer our services to you for the remainder of the evening."

Tamar kept quiet, watching charade unfold. She was gradually becoming aware that Ezra was doing everything possible to placate the baron while keeping him away from finding out about the demise of 'Lord Rayne'.

"How generous of Lord Rayne," said Sparr. "Unfortunately, I don't think either of you could be of much help to me in my business transactions." He drew out something from his coat pocket for Ezra to see: the very same Anogiran music box that Kay had been handling two nights ago.

"Unless you are aware of the gallery's interior, I must return to Haven's Glow immediately to validate the maker and the model."

Ezra's eyes brightened up. "That one is genuine," he announced firmly.

"Are you certain?"

"Positive. Examine the markings on the bottom and you will see the appropriate seal and dark-blue color."

The baron did as Ezra instructed and his voice rose slightly up with approval. "I can see why Lord Rayne keeps you around." His expression lightened up and he added, "Perhaps I spoke in haste. Are you certain that your master will be able to manage on his own this evening?"

"He insisted that we leave while he entertains..." Tamar let her voice trail off.

"I see." The baron let out a soft chuckle. "Well, if that is the case then perhaps I should accept his thoughtful gesture. Come to think of it, I do have several pieces of artwork in my villa that require cataloging. But it might be too tedious for a spirited young man like Master Kay here."

Ezra squared his shoulders back. "It would be my privilege to assist you in any way that I can, baron." But then he remembered Io and added, "But I think I would work better by myself. Your servant-girl-"

"Io?" the baron asked. "What about her?"

"What young Master Kay means is that he would never do anything to compromise the reputation of the house of Rayne," Tamar explained. Ezra threw her a look of relief. "If he was in the same room with a charming young lady such as Io, people might presume something unsuitable was going on. Rest assured, your excellency. Kay's manners are impeccable."

Much to their surprise, Sparr smiled. "I understand too well what you are saying." Then he sighed. "Unfortunately, Io has been making some ridiculous demands lately and I have avoided sending her to my villa for those reasons."

"Oh?" Ezra asked politely.

"Yes. She is after all, a young girl with personal whims, and I shouldn't be making such high expectations out of her. I would handle the artwork myself but I have a business proposition for a new client on Tio-Men in a few hours." The baron turned towards Tamar. "Would Lord Rayne be insulted if I asked his favorite companion to accompany me and oversee preparations?"

Tamar's mouth fell open. "Forgive me. It was too bold to ask," he excused himself.

"No, not at all! I would be delighted," Tamar insisted. Ezra could tell that she was eager to step back into the role as hostess.

"Your loyalty is remarkable. I would like to reimburse you for your time, Master Kay. Say, five hundred when you are through. Is that acceptable?"

Tamar ran the figures through her head. It wasn't an enormous sum but then again if it was, she would be more suspicious. Five hundred was an adequate amount to help them out. She and Ezra nodded silently to each other and then Ezra addressed Sparr. "It is an acceptable offer."

"Very good. BT-78 here will take you to my villa." He gestured to the tall droid standing silently nearby. "Help yourself to anything in the kitchen. As soon as you are done cataloging, he will contact me and the ship will take you back to Haven's Glow. Tamar and I shouldn't take more than a few hours."

 _"This way, Master Kay._ " BT-78 motioned with a brightly-polished copper arm for Ezra to follow him. He watched the baron offer a hand to Tamar, who's silent expression assured Ezra that she would be all right. The baron must have noticed this exchange between them because he added, "Lord Rayne has my word of honor. As long as you two are employed in my services then no harm will come to either of you."

Tamar placed her bright blue hand upon the baron's gloved one and together they approached a small shuttle craft. Ezra made sure to watch as both of them stepped into the shuttle and it took off smoothly into the air.

 _"This way, Master Kay,_ " the droid repeated. He remained perfectly silent as Ezra followed him half a mile away to where the baron's elegant space yacht was waiting on a loading dock.

"Woah," Ezra murmured. "I mean, how nice."

BT-78 had no response to this comment and merely opened up the gang plank, allowing Ezra to step inside and admire the luxurious interior of the cabin. It was even bigger than their suite at Haven's Glow and the sound of the engines had been muffled into a soft purr as the ship took off and leapt into hyperspace.

 _"Please remain seated until we arrive at Mandrake Manor,_ " BT-78 ordered him in the same monotone voice. Seeing that this droid could not be ruffled up like Chopper, Ezra placed his hands behind his head and leaned back in his seat.

Tamar was with Baron Sparr. Kanan was being detained at Haven's Glow. It wasn't the ideal situation that he wanted but Ezra had learned from Jedi training, and Rebel fighting, that one would have to alter a situation if it wasn't going has planned. Sitting in one place and panicking did nothing to help yourself or others. At least this way they could stay in the baron's favor and earn some money.

Unlike other guests at Haven's Glow, Ezra knew that the blind Jedi was far from being a helpless invalid. Nevertheless, Ezra hoped that Kanan was all right.

A-A-A

Kanan had been in greater dangers and in more pain before in his life.

Racing across the galaxy as a frightened teenager, tortured in body and soul by the Grand Inquisitor, bracing the chilled hated of the Sith as he faced Darth Vader, fumbling for his lightsaber as Maul's sinister voice echoed in his ears...

All of these moments and more appeared as pictures in his head and he allowed the Force to examine them, to catalog them as the learned lessons on his journey. The Jedi lay in the bottom of his cell curled up on one side. He made sure to jerk his foot a bit and moan aloud. The thugs in the other room heard his discomfort and went back to their sabaac game.

Kanan was aware that something was wrong when the hands maneuvering him had gone from the firm but formal hands of hotel staff into the rough arms around him. Instead of brushing against silk and velvet, his skin rasped against leather and cheap metal. The outdoor wind whipped through his hair as he was dragged into a speeder and taken somewhere, likely a hideout that wouldn't tarnish the reputation of Haven's Glow.

But the Force steadied him, guiding and advising him to remain within the charade. It would not do for Lord Rayne to remove his mask before it was time for the Jedi Knight to emerge.

So he permitted himself to be yanked along by the hooligans and shoved into a cell. At least Ezra and Tamar hadn't gone along with him and it was more than a small relief to know that they were still safe at Haven's Glow. At least for the time being...

Kanan had passed the first hour or two by taking a sitting position and meditating calmly in his prison. Unfortunately, the silence of the model prisoner had been interpreted as defiance by the gang and they proceeded to teach Lord Rayne a lesson with their fists and boots. It wasn't his most agonizing experience but it did smart and it was annoying not to be able to respond with a lightsaber. They beat him up until they were bored and then left him alone. As long as Lord Rayne made sure to whimper from time to time, they knew they continued to maintain power over him.

His left temple stung from a gash that had split open when one man tried to crack Kanan's skull open with his boot. Fortunately, the Jedi had turned at the last minute to avoid permanent damage to his brain and now the trickle of blood was starting to slow down. He had pressed a sleeve to his face to decrease the bleeding and while it was helping a bit, he was well-aware that it could easily become infected.

" _A most interesting lesson_ ," Master Kenobi would have responded with wry amusement. Master Yoda would no doubt give him a cryptic response and Master Windu would advise Caleb Dume to remain on guard.

Kanan rolled over onto his back as he pondered his recent experience at Haven's Glow. A mat to sleep upon, a cloak to keep warm, and a lightsaber to protect oneself. He had been taught at childhood that a few objects were all that a Jedi required in life. Anything more was unnecessary.

It was a distinct contrast to the masquerade of wealth and charm that he had been carrying out on the mission. While it was not a lifestyle that suited Kanan, he had learned that not everyone who frequented Haven's Glow was as abrupt as Baron Sparr or as simpering as his servant girl. Perhaps it was possible to maintain good character regardless of one's social status.

Count Caswell had made every effort to befriend Lord Rayne and would ask for his opinion on a topic or deliver a joke to make Lord Rayne laugh. Kanan wondered if the count would eventually asked Lord Rayne to sell him his Twi'lek, as Caswell was no doubt fond of Tamar, but no such conversation had come up. Perhaps he just pitied the young blind man who was unable to fully appreciate the beautiful woman by his side.

A package of Jysmeen tea and a bowl of hothouse flowers had arrived at their suite that morning along with a hand-written note from Lady Rowena. " _May honor forever reside in the house of Rayne,"_ it had said. " _Thank you for your kindness_."

Tamar put in a positive word but Ezra was surprisingly quiet and speculative from the act of benevolence. A former Loth-rat who had become fiercely protective of his family, Ezra was willing to help out others in need and was now the beneficiary of that kindness. Kanan made sure to compliment Ezra, as it was his actions that had inspired them all to intervene on Lady Rowena's behalf.

A glass broke in the next room followed by a string of cursing. The gang was getting drunk and starting to boast of their sexual escapades. Kanan theorized that some people would forever remain the same and no amount of money in the universe would ever be able to change their character.

He twisted his head to one side. A shatterpoint.

Mace Windu had spoken of moments in time when the smallest of actions could send shockwaves throughout time and space, escalating into great events. A shatterpoint could result in a celebration or catastrophes but the ever-changing vision of the future made it difficult to see, even for a Jedi Master. As he went over the crucial events of the last few days and listening to the soft whispers of the Force around him, Kanan wondered if he and his team were approaching a shatterpoint.

Soft lithe footsteps and the gentle breathing of a woman were carried by the air towards Kanan. The newcomer's presence was a sharp contrast to the scoundrels in the other room. Kanan's body grew taut, muscles tense and prepared to maneuver in case of danger.

"Boss, you gotta check this one out!"

Footsteps thumped across the concrete from the right side of Kanan to the left. "Wow," the boss grunted. Kanan frowned. He could practically read every disgusting thought that was going through the man's mind.

Ripples of fear ran through the woman yet she forced herself to remain composed. "That is my master you have in custody," she replied. "I have bail right here." Her voice was silvery cool as she addressed the gang. It was different from Tamar's voice yet vaguely familiar.

Kanan heard credits clinking merrily. "This all you got, doll?"

"You will receive further reward once my master has been delivered safely." Heavy lustful breathing followed and the woman no doubt suspected what they were thinking. She continued in a formal tone. "The money in this bag will buy all of you great wealth and pleasure. You gain nothing by harassing my master or me."

"Good point, doll. But I lose nothin' by examinin' the merchandise first."

There was the sound of shuffling, and then Kanan's body snapped to attention when he heard fabric being ripped. The woman screamed, a thin shrill cry that sent a surge of adrenaline through his body. He _knew_ that voice.

"Damn Twi'lek!" the leader shouted. "She scratched me!"

Kanan didn't hesitate any further. Rising to his feet, he drew in his power and allowed the Force to sweep through him in one warm rush of energy. The door to his cell clanked open and he walked forward, out of his cell and towards the ringleader who had a hand on Miri's ripped sleeve.

"That is enough," he declared firmly. The ringleader was sent sprawling backwards by the Force, slamming into the wall and then collapsing onto a pile of cartons. " _A tad overdoing it_ ," Master Kenobi would have said. " _But nevertheless effective, Caleb._ "

The ringleader was still injured and on the ground but his mouth was no doubt still working. "He's-he's-a-sorcerer!" the man cried out.

Kanan seized Miri's hand and began to run, his mind retracing the steps where he had been dragged only several hours ago. "Do you see their ship?" he asked her.

"Yes, it's just up ahead!" she cried out. "But two of them are chasing us!" Still sprinting as fast as he could and pulling her along, Kanan thrust his palm behind him and heard the sound of two bodies being shoved against the pavement. Miri had already pressed a button to release the gangplank and by now, was half-guiding and half-pulling Kanan on board. Some other gang members must have followed because blaster shots snapped at Kanan's feet. His fingers fumbled along the wall of the ship until he punched the exit button and the door sealed shut.

 _Focus. Concentrate._ This wasn't the Ghost and while most small space crafts had similar designs, Kanan knew that he would require assistance if they were going to escape with their lives. With one hand extended outwards, he managed to make his way to the cockpit.

"Do you see two small levers anywhere?" he asked Miri. She gave him the affirmative. "Bring the left one down slowly and then the right one halfway to start the engines. I'm going to adjust our navigation."

His fingers found the flight buttons and though they had a shaky takeoff, the small ship managed to exit the planet and was soon hovering in space. With a few minutes of trial and error, communications was established as well.

Hera's warm reassuring voice came through the speakers. "Kanan, is that you? What's going on? Chopper picked up a signal from an Ebon-Hawk shuttle."

"Yeah, turns out Haven's Glow got tired of Lord Rayne so they kicked him out and into the hands of some bullies. Fortunately, we got away." Kanan allowed himself to collapse into the pilot's chair and breathe out a sigh of relief.

Hera's voice escalated with concern. "When you say 'we', I hope you mean Ezra and Tamar are with you."

Kanan sat straight up. "They're not at Haven's Glow?"

"I haven't gotten any new messages from them today."

The Jedi gingerly touched at a wound on his left shoulder. "That's not good."

"They could be tied up, love. Ezra's been sending sporadic messages throughout this mission," Hera pointed out. "So who's with you now?"

"Miri Matoka. She came to bail me out."

"Hello Captain Syndulla." Her feeble voice came through the speakers.

"Are you all right, dear? Did Tamar send you?"

"No, I..." Her explanation died upon her lips and she shivered, the full impact of the dangers they had just escaped catching up to her.

Kanan took the lead. "If I send you our coordinates can you come pick us up?"

"No problem. We'll be there in less than an hour. And Miri, thank you for coming to help Kanan," Hera added kindly. "See you both soon."

Chopper's grunting came through the static and Kanan had never been so glad to hear the astro-mech's response. "You too, buddy."

There was a crackling sensation and then the communications wave had been switched off. Kanan groaned and pressed a hand to the side of his face. The wound had reopened and now fresh sticky blood coated his fingers.

"That looks bad," Miri told him. "Let me see if I can find a medic-kit."

"Wait, give yourself a few minutes," the Jedi assured her. "You've been through a rough patch back there."

"I'd rather stay busy, Master Jarrus," she replied quietly. The Twi'lek rummaged around the shuttle until she found a medic-kit and some disinfects. She came back and sat down next to him, carefully brushing away some of the hair along Kanan's temples. She hissed softly at the uneven gash of shredded skin where warm red blood mingled with yellow pus.

"That bad, huh?" Kanan managed a grin. He could sense Miri's shattered nerves and intended to stay positive for her sake. But he let out an "ouch!" of protest when the bacta-patch was pressed against his skin, the disinfecting chemicals searing into his skin.

"Sorry," Miri apologized. "But I'm going to hold it in place for a few minutes until the bleeding stops."

"Do what you have to do," Kanan assured her. "If Tamar didn't send you then how did you know to go looking for me?"

Confused silence filled the cockpit. "The second-sight," Miri spoke at last in a soft tone. "I sensed you needed help. Like the time I sensed Tamar had to go to the black market to look for someone to hire. Because that's where..."

"...where she found Ezra?" Kanan suggested.

"Yes."

"Miri, how long have you had this 'second sight'?"

"A few years, I think. I didn't keep track of it."

The stinging pain in Kanan's temple had been going down for a while now while they were talking. Where there had previously been a hot pain as the disinfects were destroying any threats to the wound, Kanan could now sense a cool pleasant sensation, as if a fresh cloth saturated with clean water had been placed over the wound.

And now he realized that there _was_ no more pain, not at all. Miri's fingers remained firmly pressed on the bacta-patch, applying pressure to Kanan's wound. The cool sensation continued, spreading from the side his face to the rest of his head, and for a moment he was not a wounded man inside of the shuttle but walking freely in the cool open air of the temple gardens...

Kanan allowed himself a small sigh of relaxation before being brought back to the present. As soon as Miri had removed the bacta-patch, Kanan touched the wound with a finger.

"Wait, it needs a bandage," she protested.

But there was no wound left to bandage up. A small neat scar touched Kanan's finger where the skin had already healed and knitted itself back up as if had taken two weeks instead of mere minutes. The Jedi reached out with one hand until it touched the fingers of the Twi'lek. Her skin was ice-cold to the touch. He gently cradled her palm in his larger ones, hoping to restore some warmth to her skin and calmness to her nerves.

"I, I don't understand," she gasped.

She had been afraid for so long. Fear, anger, loss...he could sense them being carried out on the strength of the Force that was flickering hysterically inside of Miri like a candle sputtering in the wind.

A shatterpoint. If this wasn't one then Kanan knew it was as close to a Force-driven moment as possible.

"Miri," Kanan began, doing his best to contain his excitement. "Do you know what you are?"

"Terrified," she confessed.

A-A-A

Four years ago:

_"Bring her to my chambers at once."_

_Miri was suddenly hoisted off the floor that she was scrubbing and dragged up the flight of steps. The room she was shoved into was large and cocooned in velvet, muting out all other sounds. She could hardly take it in once she realized her master's gaze was upon her._

_He was not hideous or even unpleasant to look at. On the contrary, the master was broad-shouldered with skin the color of kaff and a thick curly dark beard. But his eyes burned as he studied her from across the room._

_"You are the loveliest thing I have seen in my household," he declared. "Fortune smiled upon me when I bought you along with the others."_

_"My lord?" Miri asked meekly. Until now she had been only one of many servants in the house and this sudden attention had thrown her off balance. Hearing him speak so undignified made her tremble with uncertainty._

_He drew closer and reaching out, took her pale slim hand into his larger one. "Yes, lovely," he murmured. "I can see you lying upon a bed of white jasmine flowers with only the moonlight bathing your skin." The master pressed his rough lips to the delicate skin of her palm._

_Miri yanked her hand out of his grasp and drew back. "My lord, you must not speak like that!" she gasped._

_His dark eyes flashed from her words. "Mustn't I? Am I not your master? he demanded._

_She lowered her head in submission. "Yes, you are. Forgive me."_

_He stroked his beard in response. "You will be forgiven when you fulfill your duties," the master remarked._

_Miri nodded. "Yes, my lord. I will finish the floor immediately."_

_She turned to go and had barely taken three steps when a strong pair of arms wrapped around her body, pinning her arms to her sides. Miri struggled but was swiftly hoisted off the floor and nearly hurled onto the bed, landing in a pile of sheets and pillows. She scrambled to get back up but was pinned back down by the weight of her master's body. He starred down at her with his spirit burning in his eyes._

_"Your duties are in my bedchamber."_

_A rush of horror swept through Miri from his words. She struggled in protest, even as her wrists were pushed high above her head. "No!" she cried out. "We must not do this wicked thing! Master, I beg of you!"_

_He bent over and brushed his lips over her ear. "Do not be afraid, dear one," he soothed her. "In time I will lay out a field of flowers for you."_

_The infinite darkness and coldness of space swallowed up Miri's voice as her master had his way with her. When it was over, he brushed a hand over Miri's cheek and then turned over on the bed. In seconds he was snoring away._

_Miri slid to the floor taking one sheet with her. Part of it hung limply from her shoulders while the rest was clenched beneath her fingers. Tears leaked out of her eyes as she opened her mouth and let out a silent scream of protest._

_The galaxy went on spinning as usual._

A-A-A

_Ghost ship, Kyssel Moon System_

Shoulders wrapped in a blanket and a warm drink cupped in her hands, Miri appeared calmer as she sat across the table from Hera and Kanan. Nevertheless, the Jedi could hear the sound of her fingertips tapping restlessly against the mug.

"The Force?" she repeated aloud. "Tamar called it the gift of 'second sight'. But we didn't talk about it often and she advised me not to draw attention to myself."

"She was smart to do that," Hera explained. "The Empire had been hunting Force-users for years."

Miri's attention went from the brave young Twi'lek pilot to the man by her side. "Were you hunted as well, Master Jarrus?"

"Yes. Ezra and I faced the Inquisitors, along with many others who consider themselves enemies of the Jedi."

"Jedi." The word felt foreign and weighty upon Miri's tongue.

"The energy field that flows and binds all living things is strong in Ezra and myself. It's strong in you too, Miri. That's why you've been getting predictions and experiencing cold sensations."

She lifted up the mug to her lips and took a tiny sip. "There were times on Iolanthe when I would feel something so sad and heavy that I lost the will to speak. I'd stay asleep for days. I couldn't explain it at the time. Was that the Force working as well?"

"Yes it was. And now that you know about your powers, I don't think it would be wise for you to go back to Kaller," Kanan went on.

The mug was placed back upon the table with a small _clack_. "But that's my home," Miri protested. "Tamar, Nava, and Hogarth are the only family I have. Where will I go?"

"Don't worry," Hera assured her. She reached out and gently took one of Miri's hands. "We'll find a place to keep you safe."

"And a teacher to help you understand the Force," Kanan assured her. At the moment he realized he had just taken on a new responsibility and didn't even know where to begin. Yet he could detect further negative emotions stirring within Miri and knew that he couldn't just let this frightened Twi'lek go on struggling with the Force inside of her.

"A teacher?" Miri's voice suddenly grew tight and anxious. "What for?"

"It is a part of the Jedi balance," Kanan began to explain. "A master takes on an apprentice for-"

"Who said I wanted to be a Jedi?" Miri's voice had become sudden shrill and angry. Kanan could hear the tightness in her throat as the emotions of pain and fear swiftly rose to the surface and burst out like water shattering a dam.

"Where were the Jedi when Ryloth was invaded?" she cried out. "Where were the Jedi when I was sold as a bedslave to a cruel master? Or when Nava was sold to the Hutts? For stars' sake, what good are they to me now?! You are useless, all of you! I _hate_ the Jedi!"

The mug landed on the floor and shattered into dozens of pieces. Miri dashed from the room with her hands in her face, the sound of frantic sobs echoing down the hall.

Lost for words and overwhelmed by her confession, Kanan rose and began pacing the small room.

"Go after her," Hera finally spoke.

"And tell her what? That I'm sorry? That I should have done something but didn't?" His voice rose up in anguish from his own questions. Kanan leaned against the wall and pressed a hand to his forehead. "A _bedslave_. Kriff. I had no idea..." he moaned.

Kanan felt sick with guilt. How many nights had he drowned his sorrows in alcohol, found himself warmth and pleasure in other women, while other people in the galaxy had been suffering? How many girls like Miri had been abused and humiliated all these years? It was his silence that had kept him away and apart from the problems of the Empire.

It didn't matter that there was no more Jedi Council to make things right. Kriff, he should have done something, _anything_ , instead of wasting his years on chasing empty desires.

Hera's firm clear voice snapped him out of it. "Exactly, Kanan. You had no idea what that poor girl went through. But how could you have known? What matters is what is in front of you this moment."

"She said the Jedi weren't there when she needed them," Kanan protested feebly.

"Then be the Jedi that she needs now," Hera encouraged him. "Because she does need you, Kanan."

Hera's presence drew closer, warm and resolute. Kanan felt as if he had stepped from the shade back into the sunlight as he reached out and put his arms around her. One hand pressed into the small of Hera's back, a whisper of gratitude upon the Jedi's lips. She leaned into his warmth, allowing him to hold her in this quiet bittersweet moment.

"You've never given up on me, have you?" he asked.

Hera rested her head against his chest and closed her eyes. "And I never will, love."

Kanan dropped his head down to press a kiss upon Hera's forehead. "Thank you," he murmured into her ear. He released himself from the embrace and headed out of the room.

A-A-A

The dull and dower chamber that Miri found was waiting for her as well as the man who resided within its four walls. She had presumed it was unoccupied, a natural presumption by the lack of decor or personal touch, and so had collapsed onto the bunk as her final feelings of pain and frustration oozed out of her.

There was a soft tap at the door. Then it slid open and the Jedi stood before her, a dark silhouette against the lights of the hallway.

"May I come in?" Kanan asked gently.

"All right." Miri shifted her legs to one side and wiped her sticky face. She braced herself while he stepped inside and let the door seal behind him. Then the Jedi sank to his knees and lowered his head at her feet.

"What are you doing?"

"Begging for forgiveness." He lifted his head up enough for her to see his face. "You have every right to be angry for the cruelty that you have endured. I know nothing can be done to reverse it but if you want justice, take your frustrations out on me."

Miri gazed into his face, at the cool green eyes, the tautness in his brow, and she could see every bit frustration and sadness that she herself had experienced. Empathy radiated from his face.

"I should have been fighting the Empire from the beginning. I should have stood up for other people and protected their homes and families," Kanan confessed bitterly. "But I was a coward. I ran and hid to save myself, never thinking about those who couldn't even defend themselves."

He hung his head in shame. "You were right, Miri. The Jedi you needed wasn't there for you. I am sorrier than ever for my selfishness and will do anything you ask in order to make it right."

Miri drew out a deep breath and once again, rubbed a palm over her face. "I, I didn't mean to say all of those things," she said at last.

"They were honest words. I needed to hear them."

Both of them fell silent for a moment. "I didn't believe the Empire," she finally spoke up. "When they said that the Jedi were trying to seize power for themselves. Tamar and I knew they were lying. We both remembered how the Jedi freed Ryloth during the Clone Wars. They never asked us for anything, not even honor or money."

When Kanan said nothing, she went on. "You must have been very young when the Purge happened," she suggested. "Even younger then Ezra. It must have been hard to be on the run".

"But I should have done more when I got older," Kanan said. "And I'll do whatever it takes to compensate for those years."

Miri looked thoughtful. "But you did do something, Master Jarrus. You found Ezra."

"It'll never erase my actions of the past."

"Then you're like me," the Twi'lek responded. "I'm not a bedslave any longer. But the nightmares persist."

She glanced down at the Jedi prostrated at her feet. "Would you please get up? It isn't fitting for a Jedi to be on the floor."

"I disagree. But to please a lady, of course." Kanan rose to his feet and something in his face had cleared up. He pulled out a stool and took a seat. "Do you know where your master is? If so, I will find him and bring him to justice."

"He died years ago," Miri told him. "He can't hurt me anymore."

"Miri, if you don't hate the Jedi and your master is gone, then who is it that you hate?"

Kanan did not want to impose this question upon her. Yet he had learned from experience about peeling away the layers of doubt and denial, until one was so drawn inward that a person could finally face his fear without running. Then the wise and ever-seeing embrace of the Force could enter oneself, bringing with it the catharsis of hope that released all traces of doubt.

"Myself," Miri confessed at last. "I hate myself."

"Why?"

"Because I'm weak." She gulped. "Because I'm not like Tamar. She radiates confidence in everything that she does. I've been afraid every day of my life, scared that something new and terrible will happen to me."

Kanan rubbed his palms together thoughtfully. "I've been working with Tamar for several days now and I can tell you that she has her own share of insecurities. She also thinks the world of you for getting on a stage every night to perform for Imperial officers while you lived on Iolanthe."

"As for being weak," the Jedi went on. "You could not have survived such cruelty unless you did something daring. How did you get away from your master?"

"I escaped," she confessed. "I had to wait a long time until my master's guard was down and then I bribed one of his servants to smuggle me out. I never stopped running or looking back. But I did steal the zephyr-harp from a transport—I thought if I didn't take something for myself then I'd go mad. Practicing music helped to pass the time and calm my nerves until Tamar found me playing on a street corner."

"Hmm." Kanan was intrigued by her story. "So you've overcome slavery, fought for your freedom, earned your liberty through music, and worked hard to create a new family. That doesn't sound like a weak person to me at all. It sounds like the tale of a woman with great inner courage and strength to prevail."

The Jedi's warm sincere words touched Miri's heart and he heard her draw out a breath of relief, finally releasing herself to the Force.

"There is still something to address, isn't there?"

"The 'something' is that you remain Force-sensitive. It will only get stronger over time and it may continue to affect your mind and body in ways that you can't control."

"You mean like my breakdowns when I sleep for days?"

Kanan nodded. "The Force thrives on strong emotions, both good and bad. If left untrained it can make people vulnerable to the Dark Side. Anger, fear, and selfishness can do great damage when harnessed with such a power".

Mir shuddered. "I don't want to hurt my friends," she admitted.

"I know. And the best way to protect them is to learn how to use the Force properly."

The Twi'lek lifted up her hands, studying her tapering blue fingers with fascination. "Why did the Force choose me? I didn't want it or ask for it."

"Because it saw the greatness in you, even when you don't always see it in yourself," Kanan explained. "The Force does not pick people at random. You have the potential to use it as a gift for the good of the galaxy."

"How?"

Kanan thought back. "How long does it usually take to recover from Draxo influenza?"

Miri recalled what the medical droid had told them. "A few days for the fever to break and about four to seven days to make a full recovery."

"And how long was Ezra bedridden with the virus?"

"A day and a half." She gasped, hands on her cheeks. "You're not saying I had something to do with it, are you?"

"Did you?"

She thought hard. "I just rubbed his back and sang songs to him, that's all."

" _That's all,"_ Kanan thought ironically. It was tremendous enough when a Jedi could perform an adequate healing trance on himself. To be able to heal others in such a short amount of time would be considered phenomenal.

"The Force moves in many ways and using physical touch to transfer positive energy is one of them," he went on. "You and Ezra must have formed a bond though the Force on Iolanthe. He told me that he gently touched your mind while you were sleeping to send you a message of hope. I am certain that you responded, however unintentional, by helping him to overcome the virus with a speedy recovery."

"It's remarkable," she gasped.

"Yes it is. Which brings us back to the question at hand. Not all Force-users are Jedi but all must choose their path, Miri. Have you decided which path you will take?"

She gazed in wonder at the Jedi before her and then at her hands, the very same hands that had healed a master and apprentice in their time of need. This noble wise man could see the potential within her. Could she do the same?

"I could not imagine myself as a Jedi," Miri confessed at last. "But I do want to learn to control this gift of the Force. If I could assist the Rebellion in some way, healing and helping people, I'm sure I could do some good."

Her answer more than satisfied Kanan. "You will make a wonderful Force-healer, Miri."

"But where will I find a teacher?"

There was a knock at the door and then the door panel slid open, revealing Zeb. "Sorry for interruptin," he admitted. "But I couldn't help but listen in at your problem 'cuz it sounds like an important one to deal with."

"It's all right, Zeb. Please tell us what's on your mind."

"Well…" The Lassat rubbed his head with one massive paw sheepishly. "Y'know I used to think that all this stuff was 'mumbo jumbo', especially after you saved Chava and Gron and we made it to New Lassan. Turns out there's a lot more Chava knows than I thought at the time."

Kanan was intrigued. "Do you have an idea?"

Zeb told Kanan what was on his mind and Kanan explained it further to Miri. She listened attentively, her eyes growing brighter and a smile coming to her face from the Jedi's words.

"Yes," she nodded eagerly. "I'm sure I could learn if I went to New Lassan."

"Just don't let her drive you crazy like I did," Zeb grinned. "Okay, I'll see if I can get in touch with them." He exited the room, leaving Miri and Kanan alone again.

"Now that we've taken care of that, I have a favor to ask of you Miri. But that depends if you're up for it."

"For what?"

"I'm concerned about Tamar and Ezra," declared the Jedi. "I want to see if I can connect to Ezra through the Force and it will make things go smoother if you're here."

"You want me to help you with the Force?"

"No time to learn like the present," Kanan grinned. He sat on the floor and folded his legs beneath him. Intrigued, Miri sat across from him and took up a similar position.

"Close your eyes. Listen to the sound of your breath," he guided her. "There is no chaos, there is only harmony. There is no ignorance, only knowledge. The Force remains."

Miri exhaled, her breath as soft as music and as gentle as wind blowing through a reed. Kanan's voice echoed in Miri's ears as she repeated the mantra to herself, permitting the words of the Force to wash over her.

"Empty your mind. Do not try to will a vision to come to you. It will appear when the Force is ready."

"The Force remains," she echoed quietly. "Master Jedi, I remember something…I see it."

"Can you describe it to me?"

"It's the Kyrite Lake on Ryloth. We would go on the Summer Solstice to swim there."

"What does the lake look like, Miri?"

"It's so wide that you cannot see across it. The lake sparkles like an emerald in the sunlight. The waves are capped in white foam as they tickle your feet on the shore." Miri laughed softly, the first time Kanan ever heard her sound so sweet and content.

"That's good," Kanan responded. "Let your mind wander around the lake. Let the Force flow like its waters."

Silence continued for several moments until Kanan could sense the Force shifting. "There's a girl," he said at last.

"Does she wear white?" Miri asked.

"Yes. And she isn't alone. There are many people around her." Kanan let the vision swirl within him and allowed Miri to sense it as well.

"I see her too. She young and brave. She is beautiful and kind…but sad," Miri admitted gently.

The connection to the Force began to shift. Kanan could feel it expanding, drawing back from the girl and the people around her. He could hear a voice and knew it was someone that he had met before. But the connection was a fragile one and he did not wish to upset it.

The shatterpoint drew closer.

Miri suddenly gasped, falling on both hands and knees. Kanan's eyes snapped open and the connection to the Force was gone. He reached out to put a hand on her shaking shoulder. Even through the fabric of her shirt he could sense the cold that lingered there.

"I don't understand," she murmured, eyes turned up in bewilderment and worry.

"Do you know what you saw?" Kanan asked. "Did have something to do with our friends?"

Mir nodded frantically.

"What did you see?"

She starred into the Jedi's blind eyes, her own pale gray eyes wide with horror.

"Water," she finally said. "And fire."

A-A-A

_Mandrake Manor:_

The villa of Baron Sparr was a handsome high-class house yet it had none of the pomp or extravagance of Haven's Glow. Overlooking a lake and with a small waterfall cascading down the lower side of the villa, it was situated on an isolated part of a luxury moon with full windows facing three small pale green stars.

BT-78 had no sooner unlocked the doors then the droid took up a position in the foyer and shut itself down. Alone again, Ezra wandered from room to room curiously. Instead of lavish wallpaper and ornaments placed in every nook and cranny, there were simple and elegant pieces of furniture in tones of sky blue and cream. Minimalistic watercolor paintings hung on the walls. Wide windows granted a generous view of the nighttime lake that rippled and mirrored the trio of stars. A tiny well-groomed hothouse garden revealed a flash of bright green from across the lawn.

It was altogether a pleasant place, if not so far away from everything else. Ezra wondered if the Jedi would have lived in such a similar environment or approved of Sparr's tastes.

He picked up the data pad that had been lying on a table as Sparr instructed and began going around the entertainment room. It was more difficult than he had expected; cataloging fine art was better suited to Tamar and he accepted that fact. Nevertheless, he painstakingly took holographic photos of each piece of art and entered their information in the data pad.

After several hours of work, Ezra trekked into the kitchens for a much-deserved break. Bowls of fruit were displayed upon the counter-tops and when he pushed a button, several cooling containers popped open to reveal a variety of alcoholic beverages. Ezra wondered if the baron entertained here often but the house was so tidy, it was hard to believe that anyone resided there. Then again, his droid must do an excellent job of keeping house. He extracted a bottle of meiloorun juice and sipped the sweet icy drink slowly. Then he wandered down the hallway to see if there was any more work to be done.

A flash of bright color caught his eye and Ezra pushed the sliding door all the way. He almost dropped his bottle when he realized that he had stumbled across a bedroom. Unlike the muted tones of the rest of the house, this one boasted a black marbled floor flecked with gold. The bed was monstrous, even bigger than his one at Haven's Glow, and lined with deep-red sheets and gold pillows.

In one corner of the room was a pile of ornate cushions heaped onto the floor and covered with a white gauzy curtain. A free-standing circular fireplace burned and crackled away in another corner.

" _Why is there a fire going if no one else is here?"_ Ezra thought. He suddenly felt awkward having stumbled across this intimate room and instantly shut the door. He quickly made his way back to the main room when he eye caught something intriguing: Baron Sparr's work desk.

The temptation to investigate was too much. Setting aside his data pad and the juice bottle, Ezra carefully approached the desk and pulled up the central computer system. Several words hovered in the air above the screen:

PASSWORD REQUESTED

"Okay, you can do this," he muttered to himself. "Just like Kanan taught you."

He _had_ done something similar in the past, when Kanan taught him how to use the Force to scroll through a list of anonymous prison records. But the trick now would be to scroll through random passwords until he found the right one—without getting caught. Simple enough for a padawan, right?

Extending a hand above the screen, Ezra allowed his eyes to close and the strength of the Force to grow within himself. His eyelids fluttered restlessly as millions of passwords flashed across the screen. The clicking sounds accelerating into a single buzzing note of data streaming at light-speed from at Ezra's fingertips.

PASSWORD ACCEPTED

"Yes!" He opened his eyes just as the computer beeped twice. Dozens of data files appeared in front of him, causing Ezra to nearly reel in shock. There was almost too much information to handle all by himself. But without Kanan or Tamar, he would have to push forward with all of his might.

Most of the data was payment records, stock tradings, and balance accounts. It was enough to put Ezra to sleep (or keep Tamar awake) but he sifted through the files, motivating himself to continue searching until he found something worthwhile-and he did.

One flow chart showed a summary of Baron Sparr's financial wealth. The numbers extended into six months from the current date, predicting the price of mertis-lun to go crashing down while various precious metals and credits would gradually increase in the same amount of time.

Ezra's eyes narrowed in suspicion. "You've been planning something, haven't you Sparr? What do you know that we don't?" He inserted his empty data chip into the computer and carefully copied everything from the flow chart. Then he found an audio file and turned it on. What was playing was even more bewildering.

" _A thousand tears shed from my eyes from the recent loss that Alderaan has endured."_ Baron Sparr's voice was deep and empathetic from the speakers. " _Words cannot begin to express how sorry I am from hearing this terrible tragedy that has befallen your beautiful world. Rest assured, I will provide the people of Alderaan with all of the weapons and resources that you require in order to restore justice."_

The audio file shut off. Ezra stood in place, trying to grasp what he had just heard.

Baron Sparr was somehow involved in the recent attacks near Alderaan. He was planning on losing some of his wealth and was going to compensate by investing into other wealth. And Alderaan was going to suffer somehow from his, and the Lightning Squad's, actions. Was he building a bomb? Sending in pirates?

" _Intruder detected."_

BT-78 had swiftly appeared at the door, one arm aimed at Ezra's head. The droid's calm green eyes had flashed to red.

"Uh-oh". Ezra ducked behind the desk just as a charge of electrical energy lashed through the air. The padawan saw an opening at a window on the other side of the room and with a surge of energy, ducked out of hiding and raced towards it.

He had anticipated a blaster or sonic cannon built into the droid's arm and was ready to dodge from the blows. But Ezra had never seen a Zygerrian slave whip before and now it lashed out at him with the speed of a snake. Crackling with golden light, the whip wrapped itself around Ezra's neck three times before he could even grab onto it. The droid gave a jerk, sending a surge of electricity through the whip and into Ezra's body.

Lighting pierced his bones with excruciating pain. Ezra let out an agonizing scream, unable to defend himself as the electrical charge caused his limbs to writhe in agony.

The droid gave another jerk and Ezra's limp body collapsed onto the carpet. The padawan released a tiny moan of regret and then his eyes closed, succumbing to oblivion. From the shadows, someone pressed a button on a remote. BT-78 replaced the whip in a designated compartment and stood aside, red eyes switching to black as he powered down.

The doors opened and nimble feet stepped carefully across the floor, stopping at Ezra's head.

"Really, _mon cher._ We must get you into a more comfortable position."


	4. Chapter 4

_Tio-Men, Private Client Complex:_

The tiny hologram of Io glowed before Baron Sparr like an animated blue flame. "Was it necessary to hurt him so, master?" she inquired

"The effect of a Zygerrian whip is temporary," he assured her. "And just think how much Ezra will appreciate you nursing him back to well-being."

"I will." A smile slowly spread across her face. "How long may we stay at Mandrake Manor?"

"As long as you like," the baron answered.

"That is quite generous of you, master."

"My generosity is for my sake as well as yours. The holo-net will be preoccupied in following weeks and the sector surrounding Alderaan will become unstable. Remain out of trouble and I will contact you when I require your services again."

"Yes, master. Thank," Io declared. She gave her master a little curtsy and soft giggle.

Sparr turned off the device with satisfaction and placed it upon the table. A flash of blue skin caught his eye and he glanced up.

Tamar stood in the doorway holding a tray of wine and glasses. Her face was rigid with concern but her hands were trembling, the glasses tinkling from the impact.

Sparr rose to his feet. "Let me get that for you, my dear," he offered. She let him take the tray from her and place it upon the table. Then Sparr gestured for her to sit down. "Come have a seat. I insist."

Tamar primly folded her body as she sat on the other end of the sofa, hands resting in her lap. She continued to look warily at Sparr.

"I suppose you heard all of that." Seeing her stone-faced expression, he sighed. "Well, it would have come out sooner or later."

"What have you done with Ezra?" Tamar demanded. There was no further need to call him 'Kay' at this point.

"I assure you that he is perfectly safe."

"I doubt it now that I know Io is with him," she insisted. "You lied to us."

Sparr calmly uncorked the bottle of wine. "I did nothing of the sort. I said that no harm would come to either of you as long as you are in my service and I stand by my word."

"Then you deceived us."

"If you mean to say that I withheld some of my words, then yes, I suppose I did." He poured out some wine into a tumbler and set it at Tamar's knee. "It was my intention to contact Ezra first. But since he approached me, I took advantage of the opportunity to put you both into ideal positions that benefited me."

" _A trap_ ," Tamar thought bitterly. " _And I fell for it. Why did I agree to separate from Ezra in the first place? I should have stayed by his side."_ Kanan Jarrus would never forgive her for this.

"You look a bit rattled, Tamar. Have some Correllion wine," Sparr offered her.

She didn't budge an inch. Sparr shrugged, filled himself a glass, and sipped it thoughtfully. "I fail to see why you are so riled up about all of this."

"Kidnapping is something to be riled about." Tamar could feel her tongue and temper loosening up. "If this is about a ransom…"

"Ransom? Kidnapping?" Sparr's laugh was brief and cordial. "You are mistaken, my dear Tamar. The boy is an ends, not a means. I provide Io with whatever she desires for her services: clothing, jewelry, trinkets, and such stuff. She asked for Ezra so I gave him to her."

"I am _not_ your dear Tamar and I don't trust Io any more than a blurgg in mating season!" she snapped. "What gave you the right to 'give' another man's servant to your handmaiden?"

He smiled at her. "The 'right' to transfer power from one person to another is given to the one with the ambitions to do so."

"Like starting a war with Alderaan?"

"Clever as well as lovely," he complimented her. "Alderaan pays an enormous annual tax to the Imperial Senate to remain peaceful and productive. Its natural resources are being wasted on bureaucrats when they could be used to promote enterprise for neglected beings in the galaxy instead."

"By 'neglected beings' I presume you mean smugglers and slavers," Tamar remarked sarcastically.

"With several thousand languages in the galaxy, words that define occupations can get lost in the translation." He shrugged nonchalantly. "What matters is that credits mean the same on every planet. I am obliged to provide Alderaan with necessary resources once they launch an attack on the Lightning Squad."

Tamar's fists balled up in her lap. "You won't get away with this. Alderaan won't go to war over a few bombings." No sooner had she said her words then she thought, " _But what_ will _they go to war for?"_

Sparr set his glass back down on the table. "You are quite beautiful when you are passionate, Tamar. I find you more desirable by the minute." He reached out and rested a hand upon her own. "Don't think I haven't noticed how poorly Io has treated you at Haven's Glow. Your unflappable character is a refreshing contrast to her small-mindedness."

"Then why keep Io around?"

"Because she is useful to me," Sparr explained. "I found her as a child. I raised and trained her to become what I required: a charming little spy. Unfortunately, her loyalty is countered by her faults. You know as well as I that Io is a spoiled self-centered girl."

"Now you see why I am so concerned about Ezra," Tamar protested. She slipped her hand out from underneath Sparr's palm. Unfazed by her gesture, he went on.

"Ezra and Io are two typical hormone-saturated adolescents. They are going to do what is natural for them and I see no reason why not to let them indulge in their most basic natures."

Tamar tried to wet her parched throat. "It is wrong."

"No, Tamar. You lack vision. It is not only right, it is helpful to me in the long run. How do you keep a child helpful and cooperative? By placating them. Give them whatever their heart desires, feed into their whims, and they are your slave for life."

Tamar thought back to her club on Iolanthe and the day that she brought in 'Kay' as her new busboy. She was certain the cheeky young man would give her a difficult time. But Ezra's kindness towards her friends and his commitment to working hard gradually earned him Tamar's respect and admiration. She had never been so relieved to misjudge another person.

"You don't know Ezra," she said at last. "He is special."

"I'm sure he is. I look forward to having you both as additional members to my staff. With you as the head of my household, I am sure that you can cultivate some refinement and maturity in Io."

"I don't want an apprentice," Tamar said flatly.

For the first time that evening, Baron Sparr's face clouded over with irritation. "Then what do you want?"

Tamar's heart seemed to beat slower and louder than ever as the truth burst from her lips: "Liberty."

"An insolent request from a Twi'lek. Nevertheless, I will overlook it for the time being." He bent his head closer to her, whispering gently into her ear. "Lord Rayne could never fully appreciate you. Your gifts have been wasted on a handicapped man who cannot even gaze upon you with his own eyes."

A delectable trace of spiced cologne wafted through Tamar's nose, followed by the sour smell of fear swelling within her. "I have had no greater honor than serving Lord Rayne," she found herself speaking in a low urgent voice. "As for his 'handicap', he is not hindered in the least. The man stands head and shoulders above everyone else at Haven's Glow."

She was honest on both accounts. Working alongside Kanan Jarrus had been the greatest privilege of her life thus far. The Jedi was one of the most extraordinary yet humble people that Tamar had been fortunate to know. It had been an honor, indeed.

But now Baron Sparr was going to take her for himself as if she was no more than a pretty bauble that he desired. " _How did Miri endure this humiliation?"_ she thought in bewilderment. _"Is this Ezra's fate as well?"_

He had maneuvered gracefully over to Tamar and was whispering silkily into her ear. "Haven's Glow is not the universe," he soothed her.

"And you are not Emperor Palpatine. Kindly remove your hand from my thigh."

Time had run out for calculations and cool heads. When Sparr did not comply with her request, Tamar's instincts snapped. She seized her full glass of wine and dumped it into his face. Within seconds Tamar was dashing out of the room and racing towards the door with Sparr's voice thundering behind her.

"TAMAR!" he roared.

Her fingers jabbed against the buttons frantically. "Please, please," Tamar begged. The door finally opened and she tore down the hallway, past escorts and bodyguards.

Danger was at her heels. She glanced back only once to see Sparr, wiping his face with a handkerchief and talking to two burly armed men in a corner. All three of them were walking briskly and soon chasing Tamar up one corridor and down another. She shoved a droid aside and pushed her feet into the ground, urging herself to run faster than ever.

The trap was closing in around her. Tamar knew that they would catch up to her eventually. She would be dragged back into the room and Sparr would do whatever he wanted with her. Even if the other visitors in the complex would hear her scream, they would not bother to interfere. She was a _Twi'lek_ , after all. She had been brought there by Sparr for a single reason and was expected to carry out her 'duties'.

It was not Ryloth in the Clone Wars. It was not Iolanthe in the age of the Empire. There was no Jedi coming to save Tamar and there were no credits to bribe people or business propositions to offer.

Sparr was closing the gap between himself and Tamar. The men by his side each held blasters in their hands.

For the first time in her life, Tamar surrendered herself to the mercy of the Force. " _Please,_ " she begged from the depths of her soul. _"Please help me."_

She turned a corner and collided with someone. Strong hands seized Tamar by her arms, holding her firmly in place. She found herself looking into the calm brown eyes of Agent Kallus and was temporarily paralyzed with overwhelming fear.

"There you are," he said sternly. "Now there will be no more nonsense, Miss Ily'an. Come along quickly." He loosened his grip on her left arm but held her right one firmly in his gloved hand. Agent Kallus had taken several steps just as Sparr and his men caught up with them.

Sparr was drawing out thin sharp breaths from running. "Thank you, officer. I'll be taking my Twi'lek back now."

Agent Kallus frowned at Sparr. "Your Twi'lek? I have it under proper authority that this woman is the property of Lord Joshua Rayne."

"Lord Rayne is indisposed," Sparr explained quickly. "He offered her to me for the evening. She is mine to deal with as I please."

Agent Kallus' cool sharp words cut through Sparr's demands. "Nevertheless, she is part of an ongoing investigation with the I.S.B. and I have orders to bring her in."

Sparr's eyes flashed angrily at Agent Kallus and he reached out, seizing Tamar's left shoulder. She winced when his nails dug into her skin.

Agent Kallus responded to the threat with an icy tone. "Remove your hand from the lady," he warned Sparr. "Or I will have you charged for tampering with Imperial evidence."

Not even Sparr could meet the gaze of the I.S.B. officer and after a chilling moment, he finally let go of Tamar, nearly shoving her against Agent Kallus. His brilliant black eyes fixated upon Tamar with a disturbing threat that he dared not say aloud. Finally, Sparr stepped back and walked down the hallway with the two guards by his side.

Tamar realized that her heart had been vibrating madly within her chest this entire time. Agent Kallus remained by her side with one hand securely at her arm. Now he turned to her and said, "If you keep your hands behind your back and promise not to run then I will not put the cuffs on you."

Too hoarse to speak, she nodded obediently. As Tamar was escorted out of the building and into an Imperial shuttle, she debated whether or not a prison cell would be a worse fate than that of Sparr's slave. The former would be cold and weary conclusion to her life. But Tamar doubted if she would ever have had Miri's audacity to escape the arms of a lustful master.

The fact remained that Ezra was still in danger. Whatever the outcome, Tamar knew she would have to cooperate with Agent Kallus if it meant getting the padawan back to his teacher.

Agent Kallus was giving orders to two stormtroopers inside the shuttle. Once they stood at posts outside the holding cell he motioned for her to go inside. The furnishings were minimalist but hardly threatening: bright lights, a gray grooved floor, and two benches. The door slid shut behind them and then Agent Kallus gestured to a bench.

"Please sit, Miss Ily'an."

His tone was surprisingly calm, almost cordial, as she complied with his request. He sat opposite from her and briefly studied his data-pad. She waited for him to proceed.

"I am disappointed to hear that you have been involved with the rebels," he began. "What could possess you to jeopardize your reputation?"

"The money was too good."

Agent Kallus frowned. "Is money all you care about?"

"Not at all. I'm quite fond of the opera too."

He surprised her with a dry chuckle. "Amusing. But your punishment have to wait. We have a more pressing matter to discuss."

Agent Kallus set the data pad down beside him. "Judging by your time with Baron Sparr, I presume that you know he is already being investigated by the I.S.B. for suspicious behavior linked to the attacks on Alderaan. But I cannot arrest him until I have valid proof.

Seeing her silent stare across from him, Agent Kallus continued. "Because this matter has become a top priority for my department, I am willing to overlook current infractions if the rebels provide me with useful information on Sparr and the Lightning Squad."

Tamar said nothing.

"Where is Kanan Jarrus?" Agent Kallus demanded.

"I don't know," she confessed.

"Are you lying?"

"No." Tamar met his gaze, calmness slowly restoring itself to her body.

"I believe you are telling the truth," he said at last. "Do you know were Ezra Bridger is?"

"Yes."

"Where is he?"

Her fingertips rubbed against each other. "Are you going to arrest him?"

"Eventually."

She wanted a moment to breathe deeply, to collect herself and deliberate whether or not to reveal his location to Agent Kallus. But Tamar could not afford that luxury when Ezra's life was at stake.

"He is at Baron Sparr's villa. It's called Mandrake Manor," she said at last. "And he isn't alone."

A-A-A

_Mandrake Manor:_

Cool. Quiet. Calm. The soothing stillness around him held his thoughts suspended in time until conscience drifted to the surface.

Ezra was reluctant to wake up. The temporary paralysis to his nerves had plunged him into a deep sleep and now his limbs felt heavy. Reluctantly, his senses began to stir as slumber gave way to waking. He was vaguely aware of softness and being wrapped in warmth, of a comfortable surface supporting his body and a gentle caress on the side of his face.

The view of a pillow's embroidery slid into of focus and then he was looking at Io's face inverted over his own. Eyes flickering up and around the room, Ezra realized that he was lying on a pile of cushions. His head was in Io's lap and she was stroking a thumb across his right temple with reverence.

He tried to speak but his voice came out in a weak croak. "What happened?"

"You fell down," Io answered.

He closed his eyes in fatigue, almost eager to fall back asleep. Instead he placed his palms on the ground and with as much energy as he could muster, slowly propped himself up. A small spasm ran down his legs but it was quickly chased away as blood began circulating again through his body. The dainty Twi'lek next to him scooted over so that he could sit up. Once Ezra was properly upright he examined her.

Io was cocooned in a nightgown of gauzy white and silver thread, looking like a delicate violet peeping out of the snow. Beaded straps were wrapped sensuously around her shoulders instead of sleeves. The dress looked as if it might slither off her body with the wrong move. She leaned closer to Ezra and his eyes unintentionally drifted down to the curve of her breasts peeping out of the gown.

Ezra turned his head away, sending a painful throb into his temples. He groaned and pressed a hand to his forehead. "Sparr lied to me."

"I am sure that he did not. My master is a man of his words."

Shifting weight from his hands to his knees, Ezra slowly and carefully made his way up onto his feet. The movement was still too abrupt and he wobbled on shaky legs. Io's hand went to the center of his back to steady him as he managed to get onto both feet properly. Once his body seemed to regain composure, Ezra starred at Io.

"Where's Tamar?" he demanded.

"With my master, I think."

"Where's _my_ master?"

"I don't know."

Ezra seized Io by the arms, fingers gripping her limbs with agitation. "Io, where is he?!" he demanded, anger stirring strength back into his body.

"I said I _don't know_ , "she enunciated her words calmly. She didn't seem to mind behind held so tightly or so close to him, especially when she was all curves and white silk and supple skin…

Ezra hastily released his grip on her. "I don't suppose you know what Sparr is up to with the Lightning Squad either."

Her lekku swayed gracefully as she shook her head. "I do as the baron asks. I do not ask him questions about his business."

"Great," Ezra muttered under his breath. "He could be anywhere in the galaxy now doing Force knows what."

"What matters is that we are here. And you are safe," Io assured him. She reached out to his shoulder and no sooner did her fingertips brush against him then he moved away, heading towards the door.

Ezra jabbed a finger into the button beside the doorway. Nothing happened.

"Io, open this door," he demanded.

"No," she responded steadily.

"Io, there are people who are in danger and we have to do something!"

She shrugged. "I thought your master's safety was your first priority."

He whirled around to face her. "It is."

Io wagged a finger at Ezra. "Then it is you who is the liar," she responded accusingly. "You cannot make up your mind about what matters to you. Be honest, Ezra. What has your master done to deserve such devotion from you? Is this a life debt?"

"Something like that," Era responded feebly. It wasn't far from the truth.

She swayed back and forth in place. "I can only imagine that you would do anything for Lord Rayne, wouldn't you?"

Tension rippled in the air between them as Ezra's hands balled into fists. "What do you want from me?" he asked in exasperation.

Io glided over to the enormous bed and hopped onto the mattress. Then she gave a tender little pat next to her.

"No," Ezra said firmly.

"Why not?"

"Because it's wrong."

"How?"

His hands gripped his head in frustration. Commander Sato would never believe how far south the mission had gone or how insane Ezra felt about having to wrestle with his principals in front of a winsome-looking girl.

"Because I'd be taking advantage of you. It wouldn't be right to do certain things with you if, if I didn't have those feelings for you," Ezra explained feebly.

"Ah, but your feelings would be different after we made love," Io murmured.

He winced from the words, knowing that that this wasn't love she was demanding from him.

She stretched herself out across the bed, allowing a glimpse of leg to peep through the slit of her gown. "If you would but come to me then I am certain that I can persuade the baron to release Lord Rayne immediately."

Io watched several conflicting emotions flicker across Ezra's face. "I don't trust you," he said at last.

She sat up and the folds of the dress swirled around her body. "Of course you do not. Trust comes when we have barred our souls to each other."

He flinched again from her proposition. Io clicked her tongue. "I cannot bear to think what would happen to Lord Rayne if he is all alone without a single person to aid him," she sighed aloud. "Such a helpless situation..."

Ezra knew that Kanan was a Jedi Knight and fully capable of taking care of himself. But did he dare risk that now? What apprentice would even consider leaving his master in unknowing hands? Choices teetered back and forth in his mind as fear began to close in around him. Io's voice floated towards him from bed.

"You must not care as much for him as you said that you did. If you truly wished to fulfill your life debt then you would give yourself to me. _All_ of you."

He was numbed in place. He couldn't move a muscle from her accusation. Kanan's calm steadfast face and Tamar's thoughtful gaze materialized in his mind. The thought of doing what Io wanted terrified him yet he could not see any other solution coming forth. Could he actually do what she demanded? How was a student of the Force to make such a terrible decision?

"Why me?" Ezra finally begged. "Why do you want me?"

"You do not remember?" Her lekku dangled playfully as she propped her head up. "The first time we met at Haven's Glow you offered me a flower. You showed me the light in your eyes. I want to feel that light within me, Ezra."

Io slid off the bed and walked back towards Ezra. He looked pale, bewildered, and utterly desirable to her.

"Come to bed and your master will be released. Agreed?"

Ezra didn't even have a moment to think before his actions intervened. He nodded his head woodenly.

"Remove your jacket," Io commanded.

He was sure that his spirit had left his body that moment and he was watching himself obediently unfasten the clasps of his jacket. His hands trembled but he managed to get them undone one-by-one and then pull off the heavy fabric. Ezra's tongue darted out in an attempt to wet his parched lips, which was a mistake because he saw Io's eyes dart viciously to his mouth.

Despite the heat from a roaring fire, a shiver ran through Ezra as Io reached out and rested a palm upon his upper arm. She drew herself into his bare chest, nuzzling nose and lips into his shoulder and cooing with delight.

A cloud of fragrance descended over Ezra and he drew all of his emotions in, trying to stopper and suppress the maddening song that was slithering through his veins. The Twi'lek's tender lips brushed over the curve of his shoulder, admiring the texture of his skin. "Smooth as pearl-stone," Io whispered fondly.

One arm slid around his waist in a slow lingering embrace. Goosebumps rose up on Ezra's skin as her fingers sifted through the cropped hair over his scalp and down to the nape of his neck.

"So soft," she went on.

"It was longer," Ezra heard himself say in a strangled voice.

"I like it like this."

The fingertips tiptoed curiously down the length of his spine, detouring when they made contact with a minor wound from a fight or a healing bruise from a blaster shot.

"No," Io confirmed. "Battle scars."

Her touch explored the rest of his back in fascination, attempting to read his life's story through the injuries. The fingers worked their way to the right and discovered a knot of muscle lodged beneath Ezra's shoulder-blade, the aftermath of constantly swinging a lightsaber around. Io gently applied pressure to the sore spot, fingertips massaging into the ball of tension beneath his skin until it slowly loosened under her touch.

Io stopped and looked up, gazing into his eyes with enthrallment. "Who are you, Ezra?"

" _Bridger. Bridge-maker. Thief. Criminal. Rebel. Padawan. Orphan. Apprentice."_

A thousand truths tipped off his tongue. "Je…..di…" he breathed out.

"What is 'Jedi'?" she asked softly.

The answer was stuck in his throat as he gasped for air. Io laid a finger to his lips and smiled knowingly. "You can tell me later."

Era's lips parted from the touch of her finger. His body stood perfectly still in anticipation for her kiss. He felt the warm breath of her mouth entering his own and then a small pink tongue slid between his teeth.

Ezra snapped back in protest, jerking himself away from Io. "I can't," he begged. "I'm sorry, I can't!"

Io merely reached for one of several wine bottles resting on a nearby table. "This will help you to relax." She emptied several inches of blood-red liquid into a glass and then handed it to Ezra. He looked down into the glass and then at Io's face, patiently waiting for his cooperation. Then Ezra braced himself as he tipped his head back and attempted to gulp down the wine.

Two mouthfuls of alcohol hit the bottom of Ezra's stomach with a dull burn. He coughed and sputtered, jerking his head back upright.

Io shook her head. "You must learn to take time to enjoy things." She lifted a glass to her own lips and sipped it carefully.

Ezra nodded in compliance. " _You can do this,_ " he tried to reassure himself. This time he took slow careful sips and soon the tart liquid was running smoothly down his throat, warming up his body. The knots of tension in his limbs began to loosen as cloudiness spread through his head.

He drained the glass and wanted to put it down when Ezra realized that he couldn't feel his legs. He staggered, struggling to stand upright as the numbing sensation worked its way up his torso and into his head. Io caught him in her arms. Something was wrong; wine shouldn't have done this to him. His back arched and the ceiling seemed to descend upon him.

His words slurred together as Ezra tried to speak. "What did… you do…"

"Just something to help you along," she assured him. "A mild aphrodisiac, that is all."

The protest in his throat floated away.

The ground raced up to meet Ezra and he would have made a painful collision with the marbled floor had Io not threaded her arms around his chest, guiding him towards the bed. He landed upon the mattress as his mind reeled in confusion. Io climbed up over Ezra and placed a hand upon either side of his head, hovering over him with anticipation. Her eyes were twin lavender stars, guiding him through the swirling mist before she rested her head against the side of his face.

Soft feathery kisses trailed along his throat, lips lightly brushing over the skin to reach a sensitive point just below Ezra's ear. Heat flooded through his veins and limbs twitched and jerked. "Lay down your burden," Io crooned into his ear. "I am here. None can harm you."

A remark rippled in the back of Ezra's mind, whispering something urgent about the lekku. But it rapidly dissolved into the depths of his conscience, replaced with the ever-growing warmth and longing pooling within him. He reached up with both hands and with a mixture of gentleness and curiosity, used his thumbs to lightly brush over the end tips of Io's lekku.

The effect was electric. The Twi'lek's body went rigid from his touch for a moment just before her limbs trembled with pleasure and then melted into blissfulness. Io closed her eyes and mewled softly.

" _Again_ ," she begged him.

Once more Ezra's thumbs stroked down the inch of sensitive skin, marveling at the tiny soft hairs covering the lekku and sensing the thousands of delicate nerves animating through her body. He watched her shiver, reveling in the intimacy, before her body fell on top of his own.

They were swiftly entangled in limbs and breath and lips, hands roaming over each others' bodies and kisses melding into one another. The more Ezra kissed her, the stronger desire grew within him. Io tasted sweeter than honey, her breathing enthralling as music, the warmth of her little body was his very own sun radiating against his skin.

His hands reached up to cup her beautiful face as his mouth closed and opened against hers. Io tilted her face slightly upward, allowing him to press kisses against her jawline and the delicate slope of her neck. He could almost hear the sound of blood thumping beneath her violet skin.

"Look, Ezra." Io drew her mouth away from him long enough to lift his hand up with hers. Ezra felt their pulses beating against each other as she spread out her fingertips and then aligned his own with hers. They held the pose for a moment until their fingers locked against each other, creating stripes of tanned and purple skin.

"Look how perfect we fit together," she whispered.

Ezra's hand came back to her face and slid across her jaw. Madness glinted in his eyes. "Stop talking."

"Yes, master."

She fell back against him, feeling his deft human hands worked their way up to her shoulders as the straps of her gown loosened. Her hands slid around Ezra's neck, cradling the back of his head as she looked into his eyes and saw the depth of the Force, vibrating and rolling uncontrollably from within his spirit. It was frightening and entrancing all at once and she couldn't look away.

Anger and passion. The Dark and the Light. Hatred and love.

Ezra pushed his lips against Io as his blood turned to fire.

A-A-A

_Mandrake Manor, exterior:_

"Secure the doorway," ordered Agent Kallus. The soldiers did as they were told while he motioned for Tamar to follow him. She rapidly headed behind Agent Kallus who only broke his stride long enough to hand her a blaster.

"It's set on stun," he informed her. "Do you know how to use it?"

"Point and aim?"

"More or less."

The two of them made their way from room to room and then advanced quickly to the bedchamber when they heard sounds coming from inside. Tamar's stomach tightened up at the thought of what was occurring on the other side of the door.

Agent Kallus fired a single shot that blasted the door apart and then strode into the room. What he witnessed was not the most bewildering scene of his life but it was without a doubt a scenario that he was eager to erase from his mind promptly.

Ezra Bridger was flat on his back and entangled in the arms of the purple Twi'lek. He was preoccupied with pulling down the straps of her nightgown while she appeared to be smothering his face to death with kisses.

The sound of two people breaking in caused Io to stop what she was doing and jerk her head up. She was halfway out of her nightgown when she began screaming at the top of her lungs.

A single blaster shot sent her slumping over in silence. Tamar rushed forward to examine both of teens.

"She'll be fine," Kallus assured her.

"And him?"

He rolled Ezra over. The young man's eyes were dilated, black flooding over any traces of blue. His breath was shallow but definitely audible. Cheeks flushed, he barely seemed capable of comprehending anything around him.

" _And to think 'Padawan Jabba' has given me so much trouble until now,"_ Agent Kallus thought grimly to himself. There was no time to gloat over the young man's demise when he had an escalating crisis on his hands.

"Well," Tamar said at last. "At least his pants are still on."

Agent Kallus had no further comment on the matter. "Can you carry her?"

Tamar pulled one of Io's arms around her shoulders and managed to yank her up. But Agent Kallus bent down and hoisted Ezra's body across his back as if he was a satchel. He gave a heave and after straightening up, began carrying the unconscious young man down the hallway. He broke his stride only once to look the Twi'lek sharply in the face.

"For the record," he told Tamar. "I do not want _any_ of this on the report."

A-A-A

_Central Zone, Imperial sector near Alderaan_

Io woke up in the holding cell of an I.S.B. transport. She was sitting upright, hands cuffed behind her back and part of a torn sheet stuffed into her mouth.

Tamar was sitting across from her without the blaster. Her mouth was straight as the tip of a knife while her eyes gleamed with restrained anger.

"I will take that out of your mouth if you promise not to scream."

Io nodded in silence. Tamar bent over her and removed the gag. The little Twi'lek took a moment to work her jaw and make certain that she could still speak.

"Where is Ezra?" she demanded.

Tamar's patience had reached an end. Her hand whipped through the air and she slapped Io across the face. There was a sharp _crack_ in the small room and then she slapped her on the other cheek.

"You are no daughter of Ryloth," she hissed to Io. "I denounce you."

Stinging pain in both cheeks and fighting back tears, Io forced a nasty little smile on her face. "I hated that filthy desert so I do not care. When my master finds me he will have your lekku chopped off."

"Your master is currently wanted by the I.S.B.," Tamar informed her. "His assets are being frozen as we speak."

Io's mouth remained halfway open for a moment. Then she closed it and pouted. "You lie."

"I'm not," Tamar insisted firmly. "You are under arrest for being his accomplice in sabotage against the Empire."

Examining the small stark room around her and realizing her predicament, fear began to creep into Io. Her lekku trembled with indignation. "I did nothing of the sort! I only did what the baron wanted."

"And in your answer lies your confession," the older Twi'lek commented calmly. "Baron Sparr's reign is coming to an end. He cannot come to your rescue when he is being hunted as a fugitive himself."

"But I didn't know what he was up to," Io insisted. Her voice grew shrill and tense. "I did nothing wrong!"

"The Empire doesn't care."

"My master has been a loyal servant to—"

" _They don't care._ Nobody is coming to vouch for you. The best you can do is cooperate with the authorities at your trial if you're lucky enough to get one."

"Ezra-"

Tamar only had to lift a hand in the air to bring Io back to silence. Then she went on. "I may be thrown into an Imperial cell myself but mark my words, I will do everything possible to keep him away from you."

As her world was collapsing around her, Io began to sputter in confusion. For the first time her life she was alone and without her master's reassurance. She truthfully did not know what to do and her youthful charms were crumbling before Tamar's face. Hysteria was taking over Io.

"But, but he wants me!" Io insisted.

"If he wanted you then there was no need to manipulate him. Agent Kallus is getting the spice out of his system as we speak. I doubt the I.S.B. will believe that you were both collaborators in the same crime."

Tamar turned around and walked towards the door. " _But I want him!"_ Io screamed frantically.

The older Twi'lek looked back once and gave her counterpart a sharp look out of cool blue eyes. Two minutes ago she had felt nothing but hatred and loathing for this little girl who had no shred of dignity for herself or her home world. Now Tamar just felt pity and frustration.

Tamar shook her head at Io. "You can't always get what you want," she finally said. Then she closed the door behind herself.

A-A-A

Agent Kallus had already placed a detox pill into Ezra's mouth and was waiting for the results. "It will clear out whatever drug he was fed," he explained to Tamar. "Pinch his nose for me. I'm going to give him another dose to speed up the process."

She did as she was told while he forced another pill into Ezra's mouth. They watched the lump in his throat bob up and down as he swallowed the second pill. After a few seconds of irregular breathing, the padawn began to cough and sputter. He opened his eyes just as his breathing stabilized. Much to Tamar's relief, the color had returned to his cheeks and eyes.

Then she realized that Ezra was handcuffed and Agent Kallus had his blaster pointed at the young man's head.

"Is that really necessary?" she asked Agent Kallus.

"I am not taking any chances with this boy," he responded.

Ezra groaned and blinked. He looked around the room, surveying his options, then realized his predicament as Agent Kallus glared at him from across the bench and Tamar sat nervously by his side.

"Kriff," he muttered. "Just let Tamar go, okay? You've got what you wanted, Kallus."

"Unfortunately, I do not have what I require," the Imperial agent informed Ezra. "Which is why I require both your and Tamar's full cooperation on the situation at Alderaan."

"And why would we do that?"

"What bodes unwell for Alderaan does not bode well for the Empire or your rebellion."

Tamar quickly told over everything that the baron had informed her and Ezra listened attentively. He quickly realized that a surge of further warfare launched by intergalactic criminals would strain the limited resources of the Rebel Alliance even further.

"Okay, so he fuels the Lightning Squad with weapons to attack Alderaan. But at the same time he's going to sell to the other side?" Ezra asked.

He turned his attention to Agent Kallus. "Why are you so desperate for my help? I thought you'd want to throw me into prison before anything else."

Agent Kallus' lips thinned irritably. "I do not want to see Imperial resources wasted on another conflict, especially one that could potentially be prevented. The damage that could be done if Alderaan amasses its own army could be catastrophic. Other Imperial planets would either join sides with Alderaan or break away to form their own organization."

" _Sounds a lot like the Clone Wars to me,"_ Ezra thought. That much he could decipher from the bits and pieces that Kanan had told him over the years. Congregating with Agent Kallus and sharing information certainly blurred the line but if they had a common interest, Ezra suspected they would benefit from sharing information.

As if he suspected Ezra's thoughts, Agent Kallus went on. "Do you know where Kanan Jarrus is?"

The padawan leaned back in his seat and closed his eyes. "He's okay."

"Are you sure?" Tamar asked. "The last time we saw him he was being escorted out of Haven's Glow."

"I know. But he's safe now," Ezra assured her. He opened his eyes and looked at Tamar with a reassured expression. "I can feel it."

One eyebrow arched up from the Imperial agent but he said nothing further on the subject, much to Ezra's surprised relief. The padawan went on. "Agent Kallus, do you know what Baron Sparr was hiring smugglers to ship to Alderaan?"

"Yes. Three crates of mertis-lun landed there this morning before we could catch the ships."

"So they could be anywhere on the planet by now. Is it easy to recognize?" Ezra asked.

"No. Metis-lun is colorless and odorless."

"Like Mist?"

"You are halfway correct." Instead of looking smug from correcting the rebel, Agent Kallus seemed urgent to bring Ezra up to date. "Mist can be taken internally. If you swallowed mertis-lun then your organs would burn up."

Tamar frowned in confusion. "Could the Lightning Squad be using mertis-lun to poison the people of Alderaan?"

"Maybe they'll use it after Alderaan launches its war," Ezra suggested. "They'll need a lot of it for dressing wounds and cleaning engines."

"Not the engines," Agent Kallus insisted. Something about the sharpness in his tone caused Ezra to straighten up all the way. He suspected that they were onto discovering the truth as he followed the line of logic.

"Why not?"

"It's too flammable. The Empire attempted to use mertis-lun in its prototype models but they caught on fire when overheated," Agent Kallus informed him. "It can still be used for medicinal purposes in small doses."

Their conversation was momentarily interrupted by the sounds of shrieks and bangs from the holding cell. Having exhausted herself from crying, Io was howling with rage while stomping her feet against the floor in protest. "Perhaps you should stun her again," Agent Kallus suggested.

"Let Io have her temper tantrum. It's about time she grew out of this nonsense," the Twi'lek insisted.

Ezra fell back against the wall, letting the Force rush though him like cascading waters, cleansing his mind and restoring his clarity. While he took a moment of silent speculation, Tamar and Agent Kallus continued to trade theories.

"Supposing Baron Sparr crafted a bomb that carried mertis-lun inside of it. Could be concealed somewhere on Alderaan?" she asked.

"A bomb would require a timer. We would have to track the frequency down," he answered her.

Tamar rubbed her fingers together thoughtfully. "Is there anything of importance going on with Alderaan lately?"

Agent Kallus examined his data pad. "Princess Leia has been touring her world for the last few weeks and today she will be participating in a library inauguration."

"That's hardly a coincidence."

"But postponing the princesses' schedule could raise suspicion," he warned her. "Sparr could still be doing unseen damage."

All this time, Ezra had retreated further into himself, allowing the sights and sounds around him to fade away as he delved into the Force. He could not only sense Kanan's presence, somewhere afar yet steadfast, but the soft reassuring voice of his master as if Kanan was right there in the room and speaking into his ear. Kanan was trying to tell him something and Miri's whispers were threaded into the message.

" _A girl in white."_

" _Water and fire. Water and fire."_

Tamar continued to think frantically. "Perhaps they'll take advantage of the princess's event by abducting her father?"

"Bail Organa?" Agent Kallus rubbed his chin in thought. "That would certainly be a call for calamity on Alderaan. Yet he is a veteran of the Clone Wars and I am confident that even Senator Organa could hold his own against the Lightning Squad."

Tamar was getting exasperated. "Then what could get the people of Alderaan motivated to take up arms?"

"Accusations against Bail Organa?"

"No," Ezra Bridger said quietly. The Jedi padawn calmly opened his eyes and looked at his colleagues. The calm blue gaze in his eyes confirmed that he had the right answer.

"The assassination of Princess Leia."

A-A-A

TWO HOURS LATER:

_Royal Palace and Household of Organa, Alderaan_

"White," Leia insisted firmly but politely.

Tamar tried to slip the snowy dress back into a pile of clothes. "With your coloring and build you could wear anything at all. Just look at the red brocade on this dress!" she exclaimed with delight, pulling out a sleeveless crimson gown draped with a brown shawl. "Or perhaps the yellow blouse with your lavender tunic? Oh stars, the blue frock would be stunning against your eyes."

Leia remained unflappable. " _White_."

With a weary sigh, Tamar handed the original dress back to Leia. The princess couldn't resist a smile from Tamar's enthusiasm.

Much had occurred in a few hours. As soon as Ezra had confirmed the verdict that had been plaguing Agent Kallus, he wasted no time in contacting the Imperial forces on Alderaan. The I.S.B. agent ordered soldiers to be especially vigilante in preparations for the inauguration and security was doubled at once.

Agent Kallus did not want Tamar or Ezra out of his sight now that they knew the Lighting Squad's target. Nor did he want to raise alarms by telling the people of Alderaan that their beloved princess was in danger. Secrecy was the better strategy for this battle.

The Imperial shuttle was given immediate clearance to land and the passengers given top priorities that sent them through security as quickly as possible. Ezra and Tamar found themselves whisked across the landing pad and up a private staircase in a secret passage of the palace. In a few hushed sentences, Princes Leia was informed of the impending threat on her life and requested to provide full cooperation with Agent Kallus and the two fugitives aware of the plot. She agreed to wear a blaster proof vest underneath her clothes but would continue with the inauguration ceremony in the hopes that Sparr and the Lightning Squad would be caught in their attempted act of war.

Accustomed to her dual lifestyle, the princess formally assured Agent Kallus that she would follow his instructions. Internally she was delighted and relieved to know Ezra Bridger was alive and well again. At the moment he was being fitted in the uniform of a junior Imperial office in an adorning room while Tamar had been given an appropriate cover story as newest handmaiden to her royal highness.

"Perhaps next time you could pick out something more formal," Leia suggested kindly to Tamar. "But this library speech will be a publicity stunt and I require freedom of movement to wear the blaster-proof vest. Besides, white is easy for me."

"Too easy," Tamar fretted.

The princess did permit the Twi'lek to do her hair. With diligent hands, Tamar brushed out the princess' hair until it felt to her waist in waves of brown silk. Then she carefully whisked them into dozens of braids, some of which fell back against Leia's neck while others were wound into an intricate bun on the top of her head.

Pleased with the result, Leia allowed Tamar to pick out minimal jewelry and even consented to wearing a blue sash. She was completing the finishing touches of Leia's makeup when there was a beeping sound near the door.

 _"Officer Benver requesting permission to speak to your royal highness_ ," the audio information computer burbled.

"Permission granted," Leia declared. The door slid open and then Ezra's hand pushed back a heavy curtain separating the rooms. Dressed in the Imperial gray uniform with a matching cap and black boots, he walked forward and stopped in his tracks.

"Wow," he remarked. "You look incredible."

"And you've grown so fine and handsome as well," Leia smiled. She wanted to run up and hug him but Ezra first whipped the hat off his head and bowed deeply to her.

"What? Shouldn't I show the proper conduct to a princess?" he grinned at her.

"You and I were running across Lothal's plains to steal my ships," Leia said, grinning back. "I think we can do away with the formalities this once." She embraced Ezra with an empathetic hug and then gently but tenderly kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you for coming. I've missed you so much."

Ezra suddenly gave her a wistful expression. "What is it?" asked Leia.

"Nothing," he assured her. Ezra took her hand into his gloved one. "I'm just glad to know we have a friend like you helping us out. Don't ever change, princess."

"I'll do my best," she assured him. Tamar suspected that Ezra was only too grateful to be in the presence of a young woman who carried herself with ideal qualities and good character after his recent calamity with Io. But she wisely said nothing and kept her lips sealed, even when Leia looked at her with puzzlement.

" _Agent Kallus is approaching your suite_ ," the security computer announced.

Leia assured the computer that permission was granted. Agent Kallus walked into the room and bowed to Princess Leia. No sooner did he straighten up then Leia shoved Ezra away from her. Her smile swiftly turned into an arrogant scowl.

"Agent Kallus, I trust you and your Imperial team to watch over me. But must I cooperate with this rebel criminal? A scoundrel?" she sputtered with indignation. Leia pointed a finger at Ezra in accusation.

"Desperate times call for desperate measures, your highness." Agent Kallus continued in a firm formal tone. "This fugitive knows that an attempt on your life could be equally catastrophic for him and his friends. Our temporary truce is necessary for the peace and security of Alderaan. I implore you, if not for your sake then for that of your people to comply."

Leia made a show of sighing reluctantly. "I suppose you are right, Agent Kallus. We cannot let the Lightning Squad force Alderaan into unnecessary violence. I will follow your instructions."

"You are a brave woman, your highness," Agent Kallus declared. To Ezra he merely glared and said, "Your collar is crocked, _officer_. Have it fixed at once."

Ezra shoved the officer's cap onto his head and followed Princess Leia out of the room and onto the pavilion. A sprawling landscape of rolling green hills, the pavilion was situated across from the sparkling glass atrium that housed the new Imperial Alderaan Library and Educational Center. Princess Leia was to take her place upon a raised stage facing the guests and reporters. A row of armed guards stood in front of the first row of attendees, insuring that no one would get close enough to harm the princes.

Lifting up her dress slightly, Leia ascended up the staircase to the stage that was surrounded by the finest Alderaan foliage and adorned with an enormous banner of her household crest.

Ezra watched Tamar take her place next to several handmaidens at the foot of the stage and then made his way to his designated spot on the far left corner. Agent Kallus had been walking around the pavilion and ordering extra stormtroopers who were pacing up and down the aisle in search of suspicious behavior. Agent Kallus appeared calm but his motions were restless as he examined the platform, podium, and speakers for concealed threats. Seeing nothing noticeable, he reluctantly made his way to the far right end of the stage.

The comm-link tucked into Ezra's lapel crackled. _"Do you see anything suspicious?"_ Agent Kallus demanded.

"You mean aside from you?"

 _"The life of the princess is in your hands, Ezra Bridger,"_ Agent Kallus warned him. " _I would advise you to hold your tongue and use your brain instead."_

He had a point. Ezra stopped talking into the comm-link and assessed the situation. Agent Kallus and his stormtroopers were so used to looking out for big sweeping details that they couldn't notice the tiniest things that the Rebellion focused upon. He would have to look where nobody else was looking.

The hem of Leia's white dress flapped in the wind as she walked across the stage, allowing her gaze to meet Ezra briefly before taking her place at the front of the podium. One senator shook Leia's hand while another presented her with a bouquet of flowers. Polite applause swept over the audience as Leia smiled for the holo-photos and then deposited the flowers into the arms of one of her handmaidens.

Ezra forced himself to breath in and out, to keep thinking and keeping his mind aware of everything going on. Leia began to speak. " _The establishment of this library will continue the shining legacy of the Empire. Alderaan is fortunate to the recipient of this generous gift which will open the minds of..."_

Her gentle but firm voice continued to impress the crowd in while Ezra's right foot was getting twitchy. Instead of staying in place, he found himself walking backwards and then going around the back of the platform, to and fro behind the banner.

 _"What are you doing? Get back to your post!"_ The angry voice of Agent Kallus crackled in his comm-link. Ezra ignored it and mentally went over the options. He had already checked for potential weaknesses and security had made certain that only screened guests were attending.

Something was going to happen. But where? When?

His master had taught him about not only seeing with one's eyes but with one's entire being. Despite the escalating tension, Ezra made himself close his eyes and slowly counted backwards just as Kanan had advised him. He imagined the millions of cells and nerves coursing throughout his being, every limb and bone synchronized with the all-seeing energy of life that rippled through him and was attempting to communicate.

_"Water and fire. Water and fire."_

_"Mertis-lun."_

He opened his eyes and began to follow the small tugging sensation across the platform. He could hear water splashing and gurgling away somewhere nearby. Had mertis-lun gotten into pipes somewhere? Was there an automatic sprinkler system or a watering droid approaching the princess?

_"Ezra Bridger, what is going on?"_

"Something is wrong," Ezra whispered into his comm-link. "I sense..."

The gurgling noise grew louder as he turned around and quickly walked to the front of the stage. A row of small neat shrubs had been planted fifteen feet behind Princess Leia. And just behind the shrubs were what Ezra was searching for: a fountain. A slim rectangular fountain with small jets of water rising up no bigger than Ezra's knee.

 _"As stars continue to shine throughout the galaxy, our minds must continue to shine with the light of knowledge,_ " Leia continued in a strong optimistic voice. Her people rose to their feet, clapping with delight and admiration.

Ezra Bridger starred in horror at the fountain brimming not with water but mertis-lun.

"Kallus, get Leia off the stage!" Ezra shouted into his comm.

The sound of his voice vibrated across the stand, causing Leia to momentarily fumble and the audience to murmur in confusion.

" _What is it? What's going on?"_

"The plants aren't being irrigated with water. That's mertis-lun in the fountain!" Ezra screamed. " _GET HER OUT_!"

He looked up just in time to see Agent Kallus charging towards Princess Leia, who was frozen in place with shock and confusion. The fountain's blue waters instantly turned red and then a rush of red and yellow light burst upwards, almost beautiful as flowers rising from the ground. The wall of flames was nearly swallowed up by a swarm of black smoke clouds, carrying with them a fiery heat that scorched Ezra's cheeks.

He whipped around in time to see Agent Kallus running out to the princess. The Jedi padawan instantly thrust his arms outwards, willing the Force to push Leia as far away from the fire as possible. The flames had no longer risen up but were rushing forward, the full brunt of heat aiming for the Princess of Alderaan. Ezra saw her and the Imperial officer falling at the feet of the stormtroopers just before the roaring wave of fire rushed forth and engulfed them.

The shatterpoint fell with a sharp clean break like the facet of a diamond radiating in the sunlight.


	5. Chapter 5

A shatterpoint can be hinged upon many things:

A tiny slave boy who scampers across his desert home world.

The glimmer of a kyber crystal found within a cave.

Two tiny life forms curled up within a mother's womb.

The stroke of a lightsaber that cuts a man's legs clean off.

A word whispered into the galaxy that is lost among the stars.

It hinged itself upon the slope of the Force when Ezra was aiming to push Leia as far as possible out of harm's way. But when Agent Kallus intervened, he and Leia were both sent slamming into the podium. The impact caused them and the podium to go toppling off the stage and land at the feet of the stormtroopers. In all of the confusion, nobody considered the young man in a junior officer's uniform to be a Jedi or Force user projecting his abilities across the stage. It seemed that the explosion had been the complete cause of chaos.

It was the podium, through the will of the Force, that had saved them both. A heavy piece of indestructible Alderaan crystal, it had ridden upon the momentum and slammed the princess and the agent into the stormtroopers and first row of guests. It landed on top of Agent Kallus who had thrown his body over the princess in an attempt to shield her from the explosion. When the flames leaped off the stage, the stormtroopers in the front were the ones who bore the full brunt of the impact. Their armor protected them adequately while the first row of guests behind them suffered minor burns and bruises.

Agent Kallus was temporarily stunned from the shock of the impact. Then he was aware of the painful sensation of the podium pressing down upon his back while the princess was struggling beneath him.

He was coughing and tearing up from the smoke but he managed to speak. "Are you all right?"

"Get off me!" Leia gasped.

He couldn't resist a grim smile to know that the mission was a success. The princess was safe; Alderaan would not be going to war today. Agent Kallus heaved off the podium and it fell with a clumsy _CLUNK_ back onto the grass. He rolled aside, allowing Leia to crawl out from under him.

He coughed into his fist, relieved that a breeze was already fanning the clouds away. The stage had been completely incinerated and pieces of debris scattered the lawn. A sweeping glance up and down the pavilion confirmed that Ezra Bridger and Tamar Ily'an were gone.

Agent Kallus' eyes narrowed at the spot where Ezra Bridger once stood but he let his gaze slide away. There were more important matters to attend do at the present time.

Though the damage was done, chaos continue to reign as the guests frantically tried to push each other out of the way, looking for friends and colleagues to make certain that they were alive and well. Out of the corner of his eye, Kallus could barely see the princess, who was engulfed in her father's tight embrace. Bail Organa's head was tucked down against his daughter, no doubt overwhelmed with shock from the recent attempt on her life.

Wasting no further time on sentiment, Agent Kallus threw himself back into his duties. The next half hour was spent order soldiers to secure the perimeter and he found another comm-link to demand arrest of Shakar Mylar and Baron Sparr.

"Tell Mylar that he will receive clemency in exchange for testifying against Baron Sparr," Kallus instructed into his communicator. "The baron is being charged for treason against the Imperial planet of Alderaan, conspiring with the criminal ring Lighting Squad, and the attempted assassination of Princess Leia Organa."

"Sufficient evidence will be required when leveling such a high accusation against the baron," his superior officer replied.

"Just round them up," Kallus snapped. "I will secure the evidence."

His boot collided with something small and hard on the ground. He lifted it up to see the uniform cap of Officer Benver lying on the ground. Kallus bent over and picked it up. As he did, something small and shiny fell through the air and he quickly caught it in his right palm before it could land on the ground again.

Ezra's data chip winked smartly at him.

A-A-A

_Two days later – Ghost ship, Chopper Base:_

"Maybe you could help Ezra," Hera suggested to Miri. "He hasn't come out of his room all day and the only thing he'll say is that his stomach hurts."

Miri's gray eyes glimmered with concern. "Do you think he's sick?"

"Maybe." Hera wrapped her arms around herself. "But I can't tell if he just caught something or it's the stress of the mission. I need to be able to communicate with him so that we can bring Commander Sato up-to-date."

"I'll do what I can," Miri assured her. She prepared a cup of tea in the Ghost's kitchen and placed it on a tray before heading to Ezra's room. The Twi'lek balanced the tray in one hand and used the other to knock gently.

"Please," came a muffled voice from the other side. "Go away."

"Ezra? It's Miri. Can I just bring you some wintermint tea?" she offered gently. "It will help with stomach pains."

After a tense pause came the muffled response from the other side. Miri let the door slid open and then stepped into the dimmed room. Ezra was lying on his side and curled up as if overcome with abdomen cramps.

Miri set the tray down on a chair. "Where does it hurt, Ezra? Maybe my healing powers can help."

"You can't fix it, Miri," Ezra insisted bitterly. He wouldn't even look at her. He couldn't, not at Miri or the other members of the Ghost and especially not Kanan. Not after...

" _Where's Tamar?" Ezra asked. He had managed to hitch a ride off Alderaan thanks to one of Leia's guardians who had smuggled him out of the zone in a shipping crate. Back on Chopper Base and glad not to be cramped inside a container, the Ghost crew surrounded him with hugs and playful punches._

" _She just got back to Kaller," Miri assured him. "Her transmission came through a few hours ago."_

" _Way to go savin' the princess!" Zeb laughed. He nearly knocked Ezra over with a playful hand clamping on his back._

" _Now that Sparr's under arrest,_ other _members of the Lighting Squad are being rounded up as we speak," Sabine added brightly. "Saves us a lot of trouble along the way."_

" _You'll have to tell us what happened at Haven's Glow," Hera reminded him._

_Ezra promised that he would but first took the time to talk to Kanan alone in the Jedi Knight's room. Kanan told over what had happened after the thugs had dragged him out of the hotel and assured Ezra that he and Miri were all right. The Jedi expressed relief to know Ezra was safe as well but then informed him that Tamar had sent a detailed message to Kanan about what had happened after the three of them had been separated at Haven's Glow._

_The relief within Ezra was cut short by a plunging knife of guilt when he found himself stammering about the part about waking up next to Io in the baron's villa._

" _What exactly happened?" Kanan demanded. His voice had become suddenly stern._

_He had never sounded so angry before and the sharpness in his tone sent an unexpected shiver of fear through Ezra. "Io…she said she would convince the baron to let you go," he began to explain warily._

" _And you believed her!?" his teacher nearly shouted._

" _I had no choice!" Ezra insisted. "You could have been dead for all I knew."_

" _So you compromised your body for her?" Kanan's teeth clenched together with rage. "How could you do such a foolish thing, Ezra?" The accusation slammed Ezra into the chest, taking away his breath and thoughts. Unable to answer Kanan, he ran out of the room and into his bunk._

Ezra wasn't certain how long he remained on his bed but he didn't dare leave or even move from his spot. Kanan's accusation vibrated in his ears.

" _How could you?"_

How could he have let himself be seduced by Io? How could he have let his guard down so easily? Remembering how the drug flowed smoothly through his body, seducing his senses and letting himself get carried away, taking and giving kisses and touching and...

Ezra drew his knees into his chest tighter. He was disgusted with himself. He felt filthy. Used. Tainted.

He was unfit to be a Jedi padawan. No wonder Kanan hated the sight of him.

"Did somebody hurt you?" Miri asked gently.

Maybe she would understand. It didn't make things easier for Ezra but he knew that Miri had been used as well.

Ezra slowly brought himself to a sitting position. "The baron had a handmaiden," he admitted quietly "She was beautiful and so nice to me when I met her. But then she started coming to my room and kissing me, making me say and do things I shouldn't have." The words tumbled out of his mouth as Ezra told over what followed. 

"Oh Ezra," Miri sighed unhappily. "I'm sorry about what happened."

He shook his head, tears pricking in his eyes. "That isn't what matters to me. But Kanan…I've never heard him speak so angrily to me before. I don't know if he'll ever forgive me."

Miri shifted in her seat and Ezra could smell her skin, a cool powdery scent that almost soothed him. "I may not have known your master as long as you but I do know that you matter greatly to him. He would not chastise you if he did not care about you."

"He's everything a Jedi should be." Ezra hung his head in shame. "Everything I should be but aren't."

"No, Ezra," Miri insisted with surprising firmness. "Regardless of how you feel, you still embody all of those wonderful qualities that Kanan teaches you. Do you remember when you first came to us on Iolanthe? Hogarth made it clear to Tamar that she shouldn't hire anyone who disrespected her staff. So when she brought you to our club, Nava and I were thrilled to meet you."

For the first time that day, hope flickered across Ezra's face. "Really?"

"We adored you," she added. "We still do. Your kindness and friendship shined a much-needed light into our lives."

Her gentle soothing words slowly caused the knot in his chest to loosen. "Kanan—"

"-is an honest and just man," Miri assured him. "If you are honest with him then I am sure that he will understand."

A-A-A

Ezra found Kanan meditating on a plateau overlooking Chopper Base. It was a beautiful evening, cool and dry, with a red sun descending into purple clouds at the end of the horizon. From the view Ezra could see other rebels out in the sunset, laughing and swapping tales over a small bonfire.

He finally stopped walking several yards behind his master and then planted his feet onto the ground. Ezra was aware that Kanan could feel the vibrations of people around him and even sense their emotions by tuning in to their heart rates and the changing tones of their voices.

The Jedi remained sitting on the ground, his posture straight as an arrow. "I'm glad you came out of your room," Kanan said at last. "How are you feeling?"

"Not so good," Ezra admitted.

His mentor pressed a palm to the ground and then rose to his feet. "Come on. Let's take a walk."

He began a brief trek across the plateau and Ezra quickly lengthened his stride to keep up. The ground beneath them was flat and firm, allowing the blind man to continue on in an even pace. Ezra stole a glance at Kanan's profile and the textured markings of his burn scars. In the fading crimson twilight, it was a stern and noble face to the padawan. Ezra averted his gaze away out of instinct.

"I'm sorry," he blurted out. "I know I messed up. Again. For the hundredth time." Ezra paused and rubbed a tight spot in his shoulder. "You were right all along, Kanan. All those feelings can overwhelm you and cloud your judgement. I should never have gotten mixed up with Io."

Kanan's face remained passive. Ezra breathed out and went on, heart racing in his chest.

"I'm sorry I almost….almost did 'it' with her. I know that's not how a Jedi is supposed to behave." The stinging sensation began again in Ezra's eyes and _Force_ , he was not going to break down crying like a child in front of his master. But now there was an invisible hand that had reached into Ezra's chest and he felt as if it was squeezing his heart.

"Master, I know you have every reason to be angry with me but I promise I'll do better if you give me another chance," he begged.

Kanan's head finally turned to face Ezra, surprise and bewilderment creasing his features. "You think that's why I was angry? Because you were going to sleep with her?"

Ezra balked from Kanan's bluntness. Then to his bewilderment, Kanan shook his head and pressed a palm to his forehead. "Force! I didn't mean—" He stopped short and shook his head. Then his lips parted, exhaling and releasing his tension out.

"Ezra, I wasn't angry about that at all. I was angry because the thought of you sacrificing your body for my sake…." Kanan's voice fell away and he shook his head. "That enraged me. The thought of you making that forfeit overwhelmed me."

Master Bilaba had laid down her life for Kanan. He could still hear her voice in his mind uttering the single command to _run_ and then hear the cracking sound of fire shots before she fell dead onto the ground. To think that Ezra would do the same, allow himself to be abused and humiliated by someone else for Kanan's safety—it was unfathomable to the Jedi. He couldn't stand the notion of yet another person suffering for his sake. And now he realized that Ezra had compounded the situation by despising and punishing himself further.

" _He didn't pay with his body for Io, he did that for_ me," Kanan thought.

"I thought," Ezra's voice finally broke. "I thought I had brought shame to the Jedi. I feel so dirty and ashamed of my actions."

Within the millions of grains of sand crunching beneath their feet, Kanan could hear the sound of a drop of water sliding down Ezra's face and then land on the ground with the softest _pat_.

In an instant his hand was upon Ezra's shoulder and he pulled the boy into a tight embrace. Ezra's body shivered in bewilderment at this unexpected display of empathy, of being comforted and soothed by the wise aura of the Force embodied in this once-and-former padawan.

"You did nothing to be ashamed of." Kanan's voice vibrated through the air, warm and affirmative around him. "You are my student and a Jedi. I could not be more grateful for having you in my life."

Another _pat_ , this time a tearstain formed on Kanan's shoulder. He rested a steady palm against Ezra's back, allowing the young man to lean against him as a heaving sob came out of him. He stood perfectly still, saying no more and only allowing this single action to speak for itself as Ezra's emotions drew to the surface and finally flowed out of his body along with his tears.

When his soul had emptied itself, Ezra allowed himself to stand up and out of the embrace. He felt strangely empty yet cleaned and healed of the doubts that had plagued him over the last two days. Letting out a final gasp, he wiped a palm across his damp eyes.

"Thank you," he said at last. "Thank you for not giving up on me."

"I never will," Kanan assured him. He gently patted Ezra on the shoulder as they walked on in silence, savoring the sound of wind whistling through their ears and the cooing sound of night owls in the distance. Kanan could smell the chance in the air, a faint dampness that crept over the base as dusk began to dwindle into darkness.

"It's painful for a teacher to know that he cannot protect his student," he said at last. "Sooner or later we all have to let go of the ones we care about. All I can do is teach you as well as I can."

"And you've done a great job so far," Ezra admitted.

"I'm more than fine with putting our mission behind us. But if any of this ever comes up again, I'll be here if you want to talk."

His words had piqued up concern for Ezra. "Does Hera know about what happened at Mandrake Manor?"

"Not yet. I know she's worried about you. But I can try to smooth things over if you need."

"I'll tell her myself," Ezra admitted. "But Tamar knows. So does Agent Kallus."

The Jedi contemplated this last bit of information carefully. "If he tries to use it against us, we have our own information that could make his work backfire in his face. But Agent Kallus has his hands full lately and if he's smart, he'll focus on bringing Sparr and the Lightning Squad to justice instead of trying to humiliate you."

"Then there's just my debriefing with Commander Sato." A thread of worry had worked its way back into Ezra's voice.

"Your ordeal of being attacked and interrogated by Sparr's droid was a difficult one," Kanan suggested slowly. "I am sure that Commander Sato will be sympathetic if you omit any other details."

"What about Sabine and Zeb?" Ezra asked. "I, I'd rather not tell them." The thought of Sabine finding what had _exactly_ occurred at Mandrake Manor made Ezra squirm.

"I won't tell them," Kanan promised.

"Thanks. Now I know I've learned my lesson for sure," Ezra insisted eagerly. "I won't go on any more undercover missions for Commander Sato."

"Well," Kanan began.

"I'll be focused as possible. I won't ever let down my guard or talk to strange girls again!"

Kanan almost had to suppress a chuckle. "I'm glad to hear that you've learned from this mission. Though I wouldn't recommend going from one extreme to another. You're an important part of this Rebellion so just keep your eyes open as you move forward."

The padawan frowned. "But how will I know not to make the same mistakes again?"

"You have to use your best judgement, Ezra. I trust that you'll learn from the past."

"I hope so."

"Hope is something good to have." Kanan clasped his hands behind his back. "There's just one matter left for us to resolve."

"What's that?"

"Io."

A-A-A

_Chopper Base, Central Holographic Control:_

"No," Tamar said firmly. Her tiny holograph flickered restlessly above the table. "Absolutely _not_."

"Tamar, I wouldn't ask you to look after Io if I didn't think it was important," Ezra pleaded.

Tamar threw her hands up in disbelief. "She will just wink at my customers and immediately get herself pregnant!"

"Not with you guiding her," the padawan insisted. "You know how to motivate people to behave properly. Io could benefit from…"

He paused to glance aside at Kanan. "Focus and discipline," Ezra concluded. His mentor smiled approvingly by his side.

"How in stars sake can you stand up for her after everything she put you through?"

"Because I remember what I was like at fifteen," Ezra admitted. "I was selfish and careless until Kanan and the others found me. Io hasn't had the chance to become a better person yet. Imagine how much potential for good she could do with your guidance."

"Hmmm." Tamar was becoming intrigued from Ezra's words.

"I wouldn't trust Io with the Imperials either," Kanan put in a word.

"No, I think she'd seduce her way out of prison," Tamar muttered. She sighed reluctantly. "I suppose we cannot let a little troublemaker like her out there roaming the galaxy. At least at the café I could keep an eye on her."

Ezra looked happy to hear this. "I'm sure she could be a big help in Miri's place. And after being under Sparr's thumb her whole life, Io needs to learn how to cooperate with other people without taking advantage of them."

"She certainly needs something. If Aunt Bina were alive she would say Io needs—"

"—a spanking?" Ezra couldn't resist a smirk as he recalled his first evening working for Tamar.

"Don't push your luck, Ezra."

"I wouldn't dream of it. But Kanan's right about the Imperials. Why, just image how high taxes would be if Io was whispering into the Emperor's ear."

"Exploited by my weaknesses!" By now Tamar was trying not to laugh. "All right. I will ask Agent Kallus to release Io into my custody."

"Has he caused you further trouble?" Kanan asked.

Tamar shook her head. "I think Agent Kallus knows to arouse further trouble would mean the Empire would have to admit allying with the Rebellion on thwarting the assassination plot. For the sake of discretion, I have been given a mild and discreet sentence by Imperial standards: six months probation and a credit fine.

"That is _surprisingly_ lenient given the circumstances," Tamar added decisively.

Ezra couldn't resist a grin. "I think Agent Kallus likes you."

"I think you overestimate my charms."

"For an Imperial officer, he's allowed to have good taste."

Tamar shook her head. "You are a cheeky young man, Ezra Bridger."

The holograph flickered off just as Miri came into view. Wearing a form-fitting robe of pale orange cotton beneath the starry night, she seemed fresh and eager for her night journey. Kanan headed back to the Ghost so that Ezra could have a few minutes alone with her.

"I'm only sorry that you have to say goodbye so soon," he said at last.

"I'm sorry I left behind my zephyr-harp," she agreed. "I would have loved to play some music for you and your friends."

"Maybe you still could," he suggested. "Another time."

"Another time," she echoed. There was no need to say anything else. Force-users who are in synch and have found kindred spirits are able to converse without words. They stood there in the cool damp night wind, the air peacefully around them, until it was time for Miri to leave. The tall Twi'lek gently embraced him and lightly touched her lips to his forehead.

"Good luck on New Lassan," Ezra said at last. "And may the Force be with you."

Miri waved her hand out to Ezra and then headed towards the Phantom where Zeb was waiting for her.

A-A-A

_Kaller:_

The Imperial shuttle stood on the outskirts of Central Boulevard while Io, wrists bound with cuffs, was escorted by Agent Kallus to the kaff shop. To the Imperial agent, his prisoner appeared to be withering before his eyes. Her complexion looked more gray than purple and even her lekku sagged.

" _Two nights in solitary confinement is hardly brutal_ ," Agent Kallus thought. _"But she must have been accustomed to a pampered lifestyle in Sparr's household."_

He was correct on that account. The prisoner's melancholy silence turned to open shock when the door of the café opened and Tamar walked out. Io nearly threw herself into Agent Kallus' arms.

"I'd rather go back to prison," she begged him.

"That is not for you to decide." He removed the cuffs from her and then addressed Tamar. "Io, former handmaiden to Baron Veld Sparr, is now in your custody."

"I accept full responsibility." Tamar examined Io. "She looks worn out."

"She was given sufficient nutrition," Agent Kallus replied stiffly.

"I don't doubt you," Tamar responded neutrally. She pointed a finger to the doorway. "Go inside and get warmed up, Io. I'll be along momentarily."

The little Twi'lek meekly walked passed Tamar, eyes averted downward to avoid her gaze, and through the open door.

"She seems more scared of you than the stormtrooper guarding her cell," Kallus mused aloud.

"Good. A little fear will motivate Io to behave."

"I have confidence in your abilities," Kallus remarked. "You could certainly do no worse than Baron Sparr." He tucked his data pad under his arm and turned to leave.

Tamar knew she should have kept her mouth shut and allowed the Empire to continue with its usual orders. But something inside urged her to call out to Agent Kallus. "Why?" she asked him. "Why are you giving me this clemency?"

Agent Kallus stopped in his place and glanced over his shoulder. "The Empire has shown you mercy for your cooperation. The least you can do is accept it without questioning its authority."

"I _do_ accept it but it still seems unbalanced to me. I know you have every right to confiscate my business and arrest me."

"Like I said, your assistance in the plot against the princess has stricken your involvement with the rebels from the record." He added firmly, "Providing that you do not repeat your error."

Tamar frowned. "Community support? That's all?"

Agent Kallus turned to face her with a scowl on his face. "I can have your sentence increased if you so desire it."

The Twi'lek's cheeks grew taut, concerned that she had gone too far.

He straightened up, his posture and tone the ideal image for a soldier of the Empire. "I would be wasting time and resources to shut your café down and send you to prison," he remarked dryly.

Tamar did not appear satisfied with his answer. But she nodded her head in silent agreement. She waited for him to leave but he didn't. There was a pause between them and then Agent Kallus took a step towards Tamar. When he spoke again, she could not comprehend the thread of empathy that ran through his words. His tone was so quiet that no one else but she could hear him speak.

"I do not want to see little Nava go back to the Hutts," he said at last.

His gaze met hers and Tamar nodded at last. "I will keep her safe," she assured him.

"I know that you will." Then much to Tamar' surprise, Agent Kallus took her blue-skinned hand into his gloved one. An inkling of suspicion made her wonder if he was going to kiss it (" _How ridiculous_!" she thought) but instead he merely bowed over her hand.

Agent Kallus stood up again, all no-nonsense and Imperial official business again. "Good night, Miss Ily'an. See to it that you stay out of trouble."

This time he walked away without breaking a stride, all the while keeping the image of a tall graceful woman with a sky-blue complexion standing in the doorway of her café, the interior warm yellow glow lighting up her profile.

It was a pleasant thought. He kept it to himself as he boarded his shuttle and left Kaller.

A-A-A

When Tamar entered the café, Hogarth was surveying Io with silent interest while Nava was bursting with delight.

"You have such silky smooth skin," she gushed to Io. "And your feet are so tiny and delicate. Oh Tamar, is she really going to live with us?"

"Yes, Nava. Io will be filling in while Miri is away. Say hello to your new roommate."

"Hurrah!" Nava seized Io by the hands and jumped up and down. "You and I are going to become best friends, I just know it!" Io looked mortified while Nava rambled on. "You're only fifteen years old, right? I'm nearly seventeen. I am so glad because I won't be the youngest person any—"

"Nava," Tamar warned her. The green Twi'lek instantly sealed her lips while Tamar turned her full attention to Io.

"There are some rules to go over before we proceed," Tamar announced. "First, there will be no flirting or seducing the customers. You are here to prepare kaff, serve it, and clean up."

"But that's manual labor!" Io blurted out. A sharp glance from Tamar shut her up at once.

"Second, you are not to go outside without supervision. Hogarth, Nava, or myself will escort you on running errands or going to the arcade. Your starting salary will be forty a week plus room and board. Third, you will conduct yourself politely and professionally at all time. You will address me as 'Miss Ily'an' or 'boss."

Tamar did her best to hide a smirk when she saw Io's stunned expression at this last rule. "Do you have any questions, Io?"

"No, Miss Ily'an," she answered meekly.

"Good. Nava will show you the room that you will both share and get you a clean uniform."

"Come on!" Nava began dragging Io by the hand upstairs. "You are going to _love_ working here!"

The door at the top of the stairs slammed shut. Hogarth shook his head at Tamar. "Hope you don't have too much fun teaching her the ropes, boss."

"On the contrary, I will be entertained just enough to keep myself on toes. We should all sleep with one eye open while Io is under our roof," she advised him.

"I can tell the kid's damn scared stiff of you. She won't try to pull anything stupid," Hogarth assured her. He and Tamar headed into the kitchen where the heavy aroma of freshly-roasted kaff mingled with the sharp bite of floor cleaner.

Hogarth heaved a fresh bag of kaff beans onto the table. "So you're not ditching us for Haven's Glow after all, huh?"

"My place is here."

He grunted and grinned from her answer. "Glad to have you back, boss."

Tamar breathed in the familiar scents and then rolled up her sleeves. "Let's get to work."

A-A-A

_Sector outside Lira San:  
_

Miri peered through the windows of the Phantom, gazing in awe at the swirling nebula of yellow and white clouds hovering at the tip of their ship.

"Not to worry, Miss Matoka," Zeb assured her. "We've chartered this course before and come out alive."

She broke her gaze off the window long enough to face the Lassat and smile. "I trust you, Captain Orrelios."

"Aw, it's just 'Zeb' miss," he chuckled. A soldier and a rebel at heart, Zeb was first and foremost a Captain of the Honor Guard dedicated to upholding the ways of his people and protecting the innocent. A member of the Honor Guard was obliged to assist a lady in any way possible, including escorting her safely to her destination, and Zeb considered himself fortunate for this opportunity.

He adjusted the speed and the Phantom continued smoothly on course, never veering left into an unstable space current or right into the flash of a lightning storm. Miri watched the swirls of gas flit past the windows of the Phantom in irregular blobs. The engines hummed a bit louder to adjust with the pressure as it sallied forth.

Soon the nebula clouds grew thinner and ahead was a faint greenish-blue light that Zeb indicated was the atmosphere of Lira San. The Phantom advanced towards the doorway of light and glided through it. The opaque nebula melted away behind them and now puffy white clouds floated away from the Phantom as it descended onto the planet and landed in a field of red-tinted grass.

The Phantom touched down with a mild _bump_ but rested firmly upon the grass. Zeb opened up the docking ramp and Miri headed towards it.

"In case Chava does drive you bonkers," he reminded her. "Just call us and we'll come get you."

"I will," she smiled over her shoulder. She waved kindly at him and thanked Zeb for his help. Miri walked down the metal plank until her sandals crunched upon the dry red grass. A few Lassats gazed with interest at the Twi'lek who had just arrived on their planet but politely nodded their heads to her. She answered back with her own nod and then began walking towards her destination.

The Twi'lek did not have far to go. A small cozy house of gray stones and a cone-shaped roof sat on the edge of the field. She approached the front door and took a moment to straighten herself up and draw in a breath of Force-inspired strength. Then she pushed the beaded curtain to the left and stepped inside.

Tamar would have approved with how tidy and pleasant the interior of the house was. A kettle of something fragrant bubbled over an open fire and scrolls and leather-bound books were piled upon the shelves. Seated at a table with tea and cups prepared was an elderly Lassat woman, hovering over a piece of parchment and muttering away.

She jerked her head up when Miri stepped into the house, revealing a wizened face and sharp gray eyes beneath an enormous bob of white hair. "So you have come at last!" Chava called out in a dry cackle. "The Ashla has guided your steps." She seized her cane and with surprising nimbleness, hobbled over to Miri.

"Come, child. Let me see your face," she urged kindly. Miri drew back her cowl and sat down so that Chava could study her features. The old Lassat's eyes flickered up and down the Twi'lek's face, reading her history in her eyes.

"Dear child," Chava said at last. "You have lost many things yet discovered new wonders."

"Yes," Miri admitted. "But I am trying to be brave and move forward. I was told that you could teach me how to use the Force to heal others?"

Chava held out her hand and the Twi'lek placed her own slim one into the gnarled fingers. "You cannot mend others until you have healed yourself," Chava explained. "But I can tell that your healing has already begun."

"It has?"

She nodded knowingly. "The light of Ashla shines in your eyes. You have learned much from the Jedi and his padawan. And now you are here for your own training."

The Twi'lek's gray eyes shined with hope. "Will you teach me?"

Chava nodded and beckoned to the table. "I shall indeed. Come, Miri Matoka. Together we will discover the ways of the Ashla."

A-A-A

_Three weeks later, Kaller:_

Tamar looked up from stacking trays in her café just as Io and Nava walked through the front door. Their arms were full of packages and they had their heads bent together, whispering closely.

"What did you buy?" she asked.

"Fabric for the cafe and makeup for ourselves," Nava announced. "We want to redo the cushions."

"Let's see." Tamar unwrapped the packages and examined the green and gold fabric.

"Io picked it out," Nava said proudly.

"Did she?" Tamar looked at Nava. "Well done."

"Thank you," Io spoke up in a prim little voice.

"I told you bargain hunting was fun! But did you see the hat she wore?" Nava whispered again into Io's ear, causing the purple Twi'lek to giggle in amusement.

"All right, that's enough whispering and chatting for now." Tamar clapped her hands together. "Put your things away and tidy up the kitchen. When that's done you two can play upstairs for the rest of the afternoon."

"Really? Can we?"

"No point in keeping the café open to the public on such a quiet day. You girls run along now."

"Thanks, Tamar!" Nava bounded up the steps with Io at her heels. As soon as they were gone, Tamar brought a tray of fresh hot drinks to the table where Hera and Kanan were sitting. As they were the only customers in the café, Tamar was relieved that they could chat freely.

"It sounds as if things are turning out all right," Hera commented.

Tamar slid into the other side of the booth. "I've been strict with Io," she admitted. "But so far she's behaving properly. Nava's been the biggest help just by being her friend. She's learning what it's like to have fun with other girls instead of bullying them."

She paused long enough as Io came out and placed an extra pitcher of kaff and some food upon the table. Hera watched Io work carefully and diligently with every move. When she was done she addressed Tamar in a clear respectful tone.

"Is there anything else, Miss Ily'an?" she asked.

"No, dear. You did a good job. You and Nava go have some fun."

"Yes, ma'am. Thank you." With a little curtsy, she headed upstairs.

"You've helped Io change," Kanan complimented Tamar. "Her voice sounds warmer and more pleasant now than it ever was at Haven's Glow." He was confident that Tamar could replace some of Sparr's twisted influence over Io. She was only fifteen years old and the Jedi hoped that with trust and friendship, the little Twi'lek would grow into a better person than her former master ever was.

"I hate to admit it but the Empire has inspired me to do more for her," she told Hera and Kanan. "I've been receiving a modest Imperial stipend to keep Io out of trouble. It's made me realize that they don't even want her on their hands at all. At least here she knows that she's wanted and needed."

"It's good to have a place to call home," Hera agreed. "And speaking of the Empire, any trouble with Agent Kallus?"

Tamar shook her head. "Naturally his department got all the credit on the holo-net for thwarting the attempt on Princess Leia's life. But I'm surprised that Sparr's demise came so abruptly."

"We have contacts that confirm his death," Kanan informed her in a grave tone.

"Then why wasn't the news announced over the holo-net?"

"Because the Empire wants to display the news that it sees fit," he told her. "Sparr's death sentence was changed to life imprisonment on the condition that he gave up the list of names of the Lightning Squad. The black-market didn't like that so when he was being transported to maximum security, the transport carrying Sparr had a 'malfunction'."

"You mean 'sabotage'," Tamar suggested.

"The Lightning Squad knew that Sparr would give all of their names up to the Empire," Hera went on. "They had to kill him to protect their secrets. The Empire didn't like the idea of the Lightning Squad permanently removing a valuable prisoner so they've been avoiding publicizing the news."

"Sparr worked so hard to orchestrate a war and now he is no more," Tamar murmured. "But I should look on the bright side. Princess Leia is safe, Alderaan remains stable, and the rest of the Lightning Squad is on the run from the Empire."

"The Rebellion owes you a debt of gratitude," Hera thanked Tamar. "Commander Sato wanted to us to express his appreciation for your participation in the mission."

"It was my pleasure, Captain Syndulla." She raised her glass. "To the Rebel Alliance and the future freedom of Ryloth."

Hera and Kanan clinked their glasses against Tamar's.

"So this is where you have been, you scoundrel!"

Everyone starred in surprise as Count Caswell descending down the stone steps. "After all of the worry you gave us when you departed Haven's Glow!" he shook a finger at Kanan. Then he took a moment to assess the charming picture Hera next to Kanan and then Tamar across the table.

Caswell shook his head in disbelief. "You never cease to amaze me, young man!"

Kanan managed to find his voice again. "I do my best, Count Caswell."

"Then perhaps it is time for me to bring forth some of my own amazements as well. May I join you three charming young people?"

"You may," Tamar said, offering him a seat.

"Thank you, my dear." Caswell sat down and accepted a cup of kaff. Watching a new customer's eyes brightened up when they tasted it was always a pleasure for Tamar.

"I can see why you frequent this café, young man," he said to Kanan. "Are you the owner of this establishment as well?"

"Tamar is the owner," Kanan confessed.

"You are? I must congratulate you on yet another remarkable talent, Tamar." Caswell did not all seem surprised at the fact that a Twi'lek was running her own business. On the contrary, he seemed quite thrilled to discover this new piece of knowledge.

"I should have known that this is your true calling. You seem more alive here than you ever were in Haven's Glow." He added, "Liberty suits you well."

Tamar's smile grew even brighter from his remark.

"Now onto my 'surprises'. First, I confess that I am a man with my own weaknesses for lovely ladies and getting the most out of life. But I am also a firm believer in getting to the truth of the matter. And you, young man, are _not_ who you say you are," Caswell declared to Kanan.

"I am not?"

"No. You are certainly the most refreshing person that I have met in years but you are _not_ Lord Joshua Rayne."

Though Hera and Tamar appeared concerned, Kanan continued speaking calmly. "May I ask how you know this?" he asked Caswell politely.

"Because Jedi Master Joshua Rayne is my ancestor."

The three rebels fell silent, stunned by the words of their visitor.

"Allow me to clarify," Count Caswell went on. "More than four centuries ago, Joshua Rayne was born on Amaltha. He was the youngest of three children and the only one in his family who was born with the gift of a Jedi and taken to Corusant as a child for training in their temple. I am the descendant of his elder sister Ryso Rowena."

Kanan thought this over before speaking again. "I presume," he said slowly. "That it is no coincidence that we met Lady Rowena at Haven's Glow."

"She is my niece," Caswell explained.

"Aha." Kanan placed his palms upon the table. "Your excellency, I must ask for your humble forgiveness for using the name of your ancestor—"

"—let me finish," Caswell went on. The Jedi complied. "As I said before, you are one of the most refreshing people that I have met in years. The loyalty of the young man who called himself your servant, your politeness to the Twi'lek who escorted you around, and of course your discreet thoughtfulness to my niece have confirmed my theories."

Count Caswell starred in fascination at the young man across the table from him. "Joshua Rayne's lineage flows through my veins. But if I speaking with his spiritual comrade then I am the one who must apologize for not showing you proper respect."

Relief and wonder swept through Kanan. "I assure you, Count Caswell, that no apology is needed."

The count smiled. "The Jedi were always slow to anger and quick to forgive. You had the mannerisms and clothing of an aristocrat during your time on Haven's Glow but you could not hide your true character from me."

"What happens now that you know this piece of information?"

"If I may speak freely, I have a business proposition for you. You are all aware of the recent death of Baron Sparr, I presume. His entire fortune, from his various homes and clothing down to his investments, have all been confiscated by the Empire." Caswell's eyes lit up. "Expect for the three percent that I purchased from him."

Tamar listened attentively. "He thought that his stock would be worthless by now."

"He did indeed, Tamar. Thanks to some quick-thinking people on Alderaan, Princess Leia remains alive and the value of mertis-lun continues to remain stable in the intergalactic market."

Caswell rubbed his chin in thought. "I would like to reinvest some of that stock into like-minded people who may be interested in seeing some of the Republic's order replace the Empire's grip. It is about time that fine entrepreneurs like Tamar be able to have their chance to prosper in the galaxy."

"Those could be treasonous words," Kanan warned him.

"Which is why I never brought it up at Haven's Glow. Like I said, I am a pompous old man who likes to get the most out of life. Sometimes that means opening my eyes and taking a risk by seeking out like-minded people."

Hera reminded herself to be on guard ever since she and her crew had been deceived by Senator Trayvis' false messages of sympathy to the rebels. She would proceed cautiously, yet was inwardly pleased at knowing that they had the potential to gain a new ally in this endeavor. With the list of attendees finally cracked open safely, Count Caswell would able to rally fellow rebel sympathizers.

She rose to her feet. "You will have to be screened thoroughly by our superiors," she explained to Caswell. "But if you are willing to put your life into our hands then we would be glad to have your support."

"Of course, my dear. After so many others have risked their lives, it is about time I did my part as well." He rose to his feet and addressed Kanan again. "May I have the honor of knowing your true name?"

"I am Kanan Jarrus, Jedi Knight."

"And I am Count Jeremiah Rayne Caswell, at your service." He bowed to the Jedi. "I cannot tell you how grateful I am to have met you. You have restored honor to the house of Rayne."

"The pleasure was all mine," Kanan agreed. He accepted Caswell's handshake and then began on a new recruitment plan with the count and Hera.

Tamar took their cups back to the kitchen and began to wash them, singing softly to herself. As she worked she thought of Ryloth, walking across the purple landscapes and planting flowers everywhere she went. Hope for the galaxy, hope for Ryloth. For a Jedi and his padawan, someday she would have a field full of flowers waiting to greet them.

" _May the light of my hope find you someday,"_ she sang.

A-A-A

_Organa Dynasty Shuttle-Craft, Sector above Alderaan:_

"For your bravery and determination to uphold peace and justice for the galaxy," Bail Organa declared. "We knight you with this honor."

Standing by his side, Leia made a slight gesture with her hands and Ezra quickly dropped to one knee. He hoped that the senator hadn't noticed this little blunder. If he did, Bail said nothing about it.

He picked up the scepter, an ancient silver staff engraved with markings, and lightly tapped the head against each of Ezra's shoulders. The young man felt a mantle of stillness come over him as Bail Organa went on.

"Rise, Ezra Bridger, Guardian of the House of Alderaan."

The padawan rose to his feet and bowed his head in front of the senator. "I thank you for this honor," he said at last. The stern but handsome features of Bail Organa eased up once the formalities are over.

"You were just knighted, not sentenced!" he exclaimed.

"I know, I know," Ezra admitted. "It's just, wow! Knighted by Alderaan!" His eyes lit up as a huge grin spread across his face. He couldn't wait to see the look on Zeb's face when he told him.

"We would shower you with public praises if permitted," Bail confessed. "But in these difficult times, I hope that you can understand the secrecy of this ceremony."

"I don't want you getting into any trouble with the Empire," Ezra agreed.

"Thank you for understanding. My daughter and I owe you our lives." Bail took a moment to squeeze Leia's hand affectionately and then went to make arrangements with the shuttle pilot.

"If wasn't for the Empire then we'd have a big celebration on Alderaan to publicize your heroism," Leia told Ezra. "There would be flags, parties, parades and more."

"I don't think I'd go for that anyway." Ezra's brow wrinkled. "How do you put up with this much attention all the time?"

Leia shrugged her shoulders. "It's of many duties required for a princess," she answered him. "But I'm glad we got to carry out this part of the ceremony even if the Empire takes credit for saving my life. Father and I know who the real hero of the day is."

Much to her amusement, Ezra rubbed the back of his head sheepishly from her compliment. Leia was intrigued by what her father had told her of the Jedi and how their humility motivated them to turn away from honors and privileges. Maybe Ezra Bridger just had a lot more on his mind than protocol. But to Leia, his presence was a ray of hope in these difficult times.

It meant much to Leia Organa to know that she wasn't the only one her age fighting this battle. Maybe there were other like-minded teens and young adults in the universe who were ready to make a change, to listen to the words of those before them who remembered what life was like before the Empire. Hope fueled Leia with courage, reminding her every day that even as she donned her white garments, cutesy and flattered politicians, and smiled prettily for members of the Senate, that she wasn't alone in this fight. She had friends and comrades looking out for her.

"Can you wear other colors now that no one is trying to blast you off the stage?" Ezra asked.

Leia laughed aloud, twirling once so that he could admire her light green dress. "Tell Tamar that she can pick out my wardrobe for my next party."

"She'll be thrilled." The padawan watched the princess for a moment, admiring how elegant and lively she looked with her hair done up and the soft folds of her dress as she moved around...

The Force flitted through Ezra's mind and he nearly reeled from the sensation, aware that he wasn't looking at Leia anymore but at someone else as the mystical cloud swam before him, allowing him to peer into something deeper and softer.

_It isn't Leia who sees him now but a woman with sparkling dark eyes and robes of purple and silver. For once she's taken out her hairpins and the hair cascades freely in waves around her shoulders. She smiles at him with a knowing nod, one palm resting on the curve of her stomach where two tiny stars glimmer and glow, growing into forms of life that will one day become her children._

_Queen. Senator. Wife. Mother._

_A remarkable woman indeed._

"Ezra?" Leia asked. She waved a hand in front of his face, trying to snap him out of his blank stare.

He blinked and looked confused. The vision had vanished as soon as he had seen it and he couldn't even remember what it was that the Force had told him. It was like a handprint on the sand, swept away by the softest breath of wind. Ezra struggled to remember but finally let it go, releasing his doubts along with the forgotten memories.

He looked back at Leia with a reassuring smile. "It's okay. I just had a thought, that's all."

"A thought?"

He nodded. "With your wit and courage, you would make a good pirate someday."

"A pirate?" Leia clasped her hands together. "Now you're just teasing me."

"I would never, your highness."

"The shuttle is ready to smuggle you out of the sector," the pilot told Ezra.

Leia curtsied one last time for Ezra and he bowed in return, grinning and eyes full of hope and determination at the mission that lay ahead for them.

"See you around, princess."

"Goodbye, Ezra Bridger."

Leia's emotions were surprisingly bittersweet as Ezra was safely escorted out of the Alderaan ship and into the shuttle that would take him back safely to his friends. As it piloted away through the stars and the void of space, she pressed a palm to the window and gazed out in wonder at the vastness of the galaxy.

Her prayer silently followed Ezra all the way home to his family.

END

A-A-A

Author's final notes:

"Hyacinth" and "Casablanca" were partially inspired by a comment Taylor Gray made on a podcast saying that "Ezra loves the ladies". Since then I knew I wanted to do a story where our "Rebels" protagonist was surrounded by beautiful women. That didn't mean automatically forging romantic relationships with them but letting Ezra admire these lovely accomplished Twi'leks while gawking a little in all adolescent adorableness. The other inspiration was knowing that I didn't want to write a story about slave dancers or "ladies of the night". So I chose to have Tamar run an upscale club so that her high-maintenance attitude would conflict with Ezra's devil-may-care attitude.

Tamar Ily'an has many inspirations including my time spent in New York City (since Tamar is cosmopolitan) and Marilla Cuthbert from the "Anne of Green Gables" series. Miri is inspired by biblical heroines, especially Miriam the Prophetess and Queen Esther of Persia. As I developed these two characters their personalities became the yin-yang of a single personality. Tamar is how I envision many of us want to see ourselves (beautiful, successful, and outgoing) while Miri is how we see ourselves (shy, afraid, but brimming with potential). Between the two women exist the ongoing challenge to overcome our doubts and insecurities. Nava is the "baby of the family" and her chipper attitude reminded me of Starfire from "Teen Titans".

Io was inspired by the film "Mean Girls", Scarlett O'Hara from "Gone With the Wind", and a hint of Black Lady from "Sailor Moon R". As easy as it would be to have her locked up in an Imperial prison, reforming her under Tamar's gaze was a much more satisfying conclusion to write. Thank you for reading.


End file.
